In this thread, I invite you to post the story of your favourite soldier(s). In my oppinion, generals seem to get the greater part of history books' pages. Surely, their leadership is vital and overall important, but it's the stories of individual men at the front that I'm mostly into. -Those that won the Victoria Cross, Congressional medal of honour, or the Knight's Cross through blood, sweat and tears..

So, heres my initial candidate, German dive-bomber pilot Hans Ulrich Rudel. I must say, I nearly fell of my chair when I read about his achievements during WW2. He was clearly a nazi before, during and after the war, but, well, he's still an amazing carracter.

Hans-Ulrich Rudel (July 2, 1916 – December 18, 1982) was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II. Rudel is famous for being the most highly decorated German serviceman of the war. He was the only one awarded the Knight´s Cross with Golden Oak leaves, swords and diamonds.

Biography

Rudel, the son of a Protestant minister, was born in Konradswaldau (Silesia), Germany (it became part of Poland after 1945). After a limited education, he joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 as an officer cadet. He was initially trained as a reconnaissance observer pilot, primarily because of his poor educational background. When war broke out in 1939 he was in the reconnaissance wing of the Luftwaffe, and spent the Polish Campaign as a Lieutenant flying long-range missions. He earned the Iron Cross Second Class on October 11, 1939. He was then admitted to dive-bomber training in May 1940, and after completing it, was assigned to I./StG 3, a Stuka wing in France. Rudel spent the Battle of Britain as an Oberleutnant in a non-combat role. He took part in the invasion of Crete, but that was also in a non-combat role.

Combat duty during World War II

Now with I./StG 2, Rudel flew his first four combat missions on 23 June 1941, with the German invasion of the Soviet Union. His piloting skills earned him the Iron Cross First Class on 18th July, 1941. On 23 September 1941, Rudel sank the Soviet battleship Marat during an air attack on Kronstadt harbour in the Leningrad area. By the end of December Rudel had flown his 400th mission and in January 1942 received the Ritterkreuz. He became the first pilot to fly 1000 sorties on 10 February 1943. Around this time Rudel also started flying anti-tank operations with the 'tank buster', or G, version of the Ju-87, through the Battle of Kursk and into the autumn of 1943, destroying 100 tanks. By March 1944, Rudel was Gruppenkommandeur(commander) of III./StG 2 and had reached 1,800 operations and destroyed 202 tanks. In November 1944 he was wounded in the thigh and flew subsequent missions with his leg in a plaster cast.
On 8 February 1945, his aircraft was hit by a 40mm shell and Rudel was badly wounded in the right foot, crash landing behind German lines. His life was saved by his observer who stemmed the bleeding but Rudel's leg was amputated below the knee. Amazingly, he returned to operations on 25 March 1945, destroying 26 more tanks before the end of the war. Determined not to fall into Soviet hands, Rudel flew from Bohemia in a Ju-87 and surrendered to US forces in May, 1945. Eleven months in hospital followed. Released by the Americans, he moved to Argentina in 1948.

Episode in March 44:

Disaster struck when Rudel landed behind Soviet lines to retrieve a downed German aircrew. Snow and mud bogged down the airplane, making it impossible to take off. Approaching Soviet troops forced everyone to flee on foot, but barring their escape was the 900 foot wide river Dnjestr. The Germans *****ped to their longjohns, and swam across the ice-clogged river. Rudel's close friend and crewman, Erwin Henstchel, drowned a few feet from the far shore. They had flown 1490 missions together at the time of Hentschel's death. His body was never recovered.
Rudel was pursued by hundreds of Soviet troops who were intent on collecting the 100,000 ruble bounty which Stalin had placed on his head, and he was shot in the shoulder while they chased him with dogs and on horseback. Through incredible ingenuity, audacity, and raw determination, Rudel escaped and made his way, alone and unarmed, back home, despite being more than 30 miles behind Soviet lines when he began his 24 hour trek. He was barefoot and almost ***** in the sub-freezing winter weather, without food, compass, or medical attention. His escape stands as the single most legendary example of personal bravery and luck during the Second World War, but he never fully recovered emotionally from Hentschel's death, for which he blamed himself throughout the remainder of his life.

Achievements

According to official Luftwaffe figures in total, Rudel flew some 2,530 combat missions (a world record), during which he destroyed almost 2,000 ground targets (among them 519 tanks, 70 assault craft/landing boats, 150 self-propelled guns, 4 armoured trains and 800 other vehicles; as well as 9 planes (2 Il-2's and 7 fighters). He also sank a battleship, two cruisers and a destroyer. He was shot down or forced to land 32 times (several times behind enemy lines) but always managed to escape capture despite a 100,000 ruble bounty placed on his head by Stalin himself. He was also wounded five times and rescued six stranded aircrew from enemy territory. The vast majority of his missions were spent piloting the various models of the Junkers Ju 87, though by the end of the war he flew the ground-attack variant of the Fw 190.

He went on to become the most decorated serviceman of all the fighting arms of the German armed forces (the only person to become more highly decorated was Hermann Goering who was awarded the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross), earning by early 1945 the Wound Badge in Gold, the German Cross in Gold, the Pilots and Observer's Badge with Diamonds, the Close Combat Clasp with 2000 sorties in Diamonds, and the only holder of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (the highest ace of World War II Erich Hartmann also held the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds — but not in gold).

Unlike the situation with the Soviets, German decorations were awarded without regard to rank. And in contrast to the Western Allies, they were never awarded for single acts of conspicuous bravery, but rather for a consistent record of personal gallantry and success in combat.

He was also promoted to Oberst at this time. He was the only foreigner to be honored with Hungary`s highest decoration, the Golden Medal for Bravery.

He flew more than 600.000km and used more than 5.000.000 liters of fuel. Hans Rudel dropped over 1.000.000kg of bombs, fired over 1.000.000 of machine gun rounds, over 150.000 20mm rounds and over 5000 37mm rounds. Rudel thought that the Lend-Lease American tanks were easier to kill than the Soviet T-34s, but he hated their machine guns, because once he was shotdown by one. Rudel was an outstanding pilot with experience,who loved to fly and destroy.He hated to take homeleave or sickleave and even when he got his leg amputatedhe was not depressed since he couldstill do what he loved - fly and destroy.During his career, Hans Rudel showed remarkable power, toughness, fearlessness, unparalleled determination and arrogance but none of his photos show any impact of the hardship of war on his face. His personal bravery was beyond belief and his place in the annals of military history thoroughly deserved, although it is important to remember the words of an American Protocol-Officer, who absolutely correctly named Rudel "the typical Nazi Officer". Rudel's famous quotation was "Verloren ist nur, wer sich selbst aufgibt" ("Lost are only those, who abandon themselves").

After the war

After the war Rudel became a close friend and confidante of the Argentine president Juan Peron. Rudel wrote a book titled In Spite of Everything, and a book of memoirs called Stuka Pilot which supported the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Even without a leg, he remained an active sportsman, playing tennis, skiing and even climbing the highest peak in the Americas, Aconcagua (6,739 metres (22,109 feet)). He also ascended the second highest volcano on Earth three times, the Llullay-Yacu in the Argentine Andes (6,920 meters). In addition, Rudel's input was used during the development of the A-10 ground attack aircraft.
Rudel returned to West Germany in 1953 and joined the German Reich Party. He became a successful businessman in post-war Germany. He died in Rosenheim in 1982, and was buried in Dornhausen.

Amazing. How accurate are those kills numbers? What was the burden of proof? Not trying to poke holes, just curious as to how things like that were tabulated and confirmed before cockpit cameras.

PeterG

02-06-2007, 01:33 PM

I just read 'Stuka pilot' - amazing stuff, to say the least. Surviving the war despite flying an obsolete aircraft for most of the war, and being shot down some 30 times! An almost supernatural amount of luck - and skill, obviously.

Hiroshima

02-06-2007, 01:44 PM

Amazing. How accurate are those kills numbers? What was the burden of proof? Not trying to poke holes, just curious as to how things like that were tabulated and confirmed before cockpit cameras.

Gun/Bomb cameras, verification from Enemy sources, verification from Wingmen, Back-Seaters, and other members of the squadron all play a role in the verification of kill numbers.

Thor

02-06-2007, 01:51 PM

The only "idol" I can ever recall having is SF Major Larry Thorne aka Lauri Törni. Simply one of the best soliders to ever serve.

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/1918/larrythornefo1.jpg

Died in a helicopter crash in Laos 1965. R.I.P.

(Trivia: Not that it's a great film but John Wayne's character in "The Green Berets" is based on Thorne.)

Rittmester

02-06-2007, 02:06 PM

Amazing. How accurate are those kills numbers? What was the burden of proof? Not trying to poke holes, just curious as to how things like that were tabulated and confirmed before cockpit cameras.

I've read that the Luftwaffe Claims Confirmation Proceedure was quite accurate, due to strict regulations. These were even more tightened after the Barbarossa - attack on Soviet - due to the huge "kill claims" in the opening phase. Göring wouldn't believe the enormous losses of the Red Air Force.

The only "idol" I can ever recall having is SF Major Larry Thorne aka Lauri Törni. Simply one of the best soliders to ever serve.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Larry_Thorne.jpg

Died in a helicopter crash in Laos 1965. R.I.P.

Quoted For The Truthwoot

Jurpula

02-06-2007, 02:12 PM

I've read that the Luftwaffe Claims Confirmation Proceedure was quite accurate, due to strict regulations. These were even more tightened after the Barbarossa - attack on Soviet - due to the huge "kill claims" in the opening phase. Göring wouldn't believe the enormous losses of the Red Air Force.

Thor: Care to give us Lauri Törni's story?
Wikipedia is rather short on info but there's more if you google. I believe there are also a number of books. This one in english:

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/4383/underthreeflagssa9.jpg

Hiroshima

02-06-2007, 02:20 PM

I'll have to give that a read.

lasek767

02-06-2007, 02:30 PM

My favorite would definetly have to be Audie Murphy

[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Audie_Murphy&action=edit&section=3)] Military career

Immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor) on December 7, 1941, Murphy — then just 17 years old — tried to enlist in the military, but the services rejected him because he had not yet reached the required 18 years of age. Shortly after his 18th birthday in June 1942, Murphy was finally accepted into the United States Army, after first being turned down by the Marines and the paratroopers for being underweight and of slight build. He was sent to Camp Wolters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Wolters), Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas), for basic training. During a session of close order drill, he passed out. His company commander then tried to have him transferred to a cook and bakers' school because of his baby-faced youthfulness and apparent physical weaknesses, but Murphy insisted on becoming a combat soldier. His wish was granted; after 13 weeks of basic training, he was sent to Fort Meade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Meade%2C_Maryland), Maryland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland) for advanced infantry training.
Due to his fragile physical appearance, Murphy still had to "fight the system" to get overseas and into combat. His persistence paid off, and in early 1943 he was shipped out to Casablanca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca%2C_Morocco), Morocco (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco) (North Africa) as a replacement in Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment (United States) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Infantry_Regiment_%28United_States%29), 3rd Infantry Division (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._3rd_Infantry_Division). Murphy saw no action in Africa, but instead participated in extensive training maneuvers along with the rest of the 3rd Division. His combat initiation finally came when he took part in the liberation of Sicily (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicily) in July 1943. Shortly after arriving there, he experienced his first encounter with death by killing two Italian officers as they tried to escape on horseback. Murphy contracted malaria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria) while in Sicily, and this illness put him in the hospital several times during his Army years. After Sicily was secured from the Germans, the 3rd Division invaded the Italian mainland, landing near Salerno in September 1943. Murphy distinguished himself in combat on many occasions while in Italy, fighting at the Volturno River, at the Anzio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzio) beachhead, and in the cold, wet, desolate Italian mountains. While in Italy, his instinctive skills as a combat infantryman began to earn him promotions, increased responsibilities, and decorations for valor.
Following its participation in the Italian campaign, the 3rd Division invaded Southern France on August 15 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_15), 1944 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944). Shortly thereafter, Murphy's best friend, Lattie Tipton (referred to as "Brandon" in Murphy's book To Hell and Back), was killed while approaching some German troops feigning surrender. Murphy went into a rage, and single-handedly wiped out the German machine gun crew which had just killed his friend. He then used the German machine gun to destroy several other nearby enemy positions. For this act he received the Distinguished Service Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Service_Cross_%28United_States%29) (second only to the Medal of Honor).
Just weeks later, he received Silver Stars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star) for two more heroic actions. Murphy, by now a staff sergeant and holding the position of Platoon Sergeant, was eventually awarded a battlefield commission to second lieutenant, which elevated him to the Platoon Leader position. He was wounded in the hip by a sniper's ricocheting bullet 12 days after the promotion to 2LT. Audie spent some ten weeks recuperating. Within days of returning to his unit he became the company commander (still wearing bandages, January 25, 1945) and suffered yet another set of wounds from a mortar round (which killed two others nearby).
The very next day--the high temperature was at 14 degrees with 24 inches of snow on the ground--the battle at Holtzwihr began with Audie's unit at a strength of 19 out of 128. Audie sent all of his soldiers to the rear while he took pot-shots at the Germans until out of ammunition. Murphy proceeded to use a burning, disabled tank destroyer's .50 caliber machine gun to cut into the German infantry at a distance, including one full squad of German infantry that had crawled in a ditch to within 100 feet of Audie's position. His almost private battle continued for slightly more than an hour. His focus on the battle before him stopped only when his telephone line to the artillery fire direction center was cut by either U.S. or German artillery. As his remaining men came forward, he quickly organized them to conduct the counter attack, which proved very successful. Audie Murphy's actions earned him the Medal of Honor near Holzwihr, France, on January 26, 1945.
[/URL]
[[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Audie_Murphy&action=edit&section=4"]edit (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/)] Medal of Honor citation

The official U.S. Army citation for Audie Murphy's Medal of Honor reads:
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Holtzwihr France, 26 January, 1945. Entered service at: Dallas, Texas. Birth: Hunt County, near Kingston, Texas, G.O. No. 65, 9 August 1944. Citation: Second Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by six tanks and waves of infantry. Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, one of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire, which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from three sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad that was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued his single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way back to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack, which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.

MEGR

02-06-2007, 02:49 PM

Franklin D. Miller.

http://members.cox.net/rlhtribute/miller.htm

Roldwin

02-06-2007, 02:50 PM

This thread reminded me an interesting reading from another website, called "armchair general", about MoH earned by the 17th Airborne Division during WWII

Though every U.S. Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine is great, and I deeply appreciate their service towards their country. :D

DevilDogHopeful

02-06-2007, 04:24 PM

Though every U.S. Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine is great, and I deeply appreciate their service towards their country. :D

X2

BTW are you in anyway relayed to that Soldier above?

Gulag

02-06-2007, 04:25 PM

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/4383/underthreeflagssa9.jpg[/QUOTE]

I think I heard something abut that. Isn't it about three mates that was all in different armies in WWII? Maybe I'm wrong but it was very interesting story.

Anthony91

02-06-2007, 04:25 PM

X2

BTW are you in anyway relayed to that Soldier above?

No, I am not...

Gulag

02-06-2007, 04:27 PM

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/4383/underthreeflagssa9.jpg

I think I heard something abut that. Isn't it about three mates that was all in different armies in WWII? Maybe I'm wrong but it was very interesting story.

Oh! Yes, I am wrong. Sorry guys...

DaGreatRV

02-06-2007, 04:29 PM

As an Dutchman I would say: Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema

- Hitchhiked through the US in 1938
- He studied law at Leiden University
- in 1939 he was a war reporter in the Winter War (Finland vs. USSR)
- in 1941 he organized the students of his university to turn on the invader
- After that he was captured by the nazies, after he got out he went in to hiding.
- He managed to get his university degree on July 10 1941
- Three weeks later he got on a Swiss freighter to England.
- He returned to the Netherlands several times to aid local resistance fighters and retrive persons to England.
- After that he joined the RAF as a Mosquito pilot. He did 72 pathfinder(illuminating targets for the bomber force) sorties (25 over Berlin).
- He became the Queen's adjudant and recieved many decorations.
- He was offerd a staff position but declined.

a real russian soldier, if most guys in the russian army were like this, it would be the best army in the world, certainly wouldnt see the animals acts we do now adays

in short this guy was caught by the chechens in 96' along with 3 others guys, they saw an orthodox cross on his neck, told him to take it off, he didnt, they cut his head off, video taped it, sold the body and the head to his mother separately, gave her the tape, beat her before all of that as well, she took him home, buried him there. His father died shortly after this incident

I read "Soldier Under Three Flags" a few years ago. Thorne was an amazing soldier.

I'd also like to add "Manila Joe" Basilone, WWII Marine who won the Medal of Honor on Guadalcanal and was later killed on Iwo Jima.

axfax

02-07-2007, 10:30 AM

Larry Thorne:
Definitely one of the best and bravest - a real warrior!

Rittmester

02-07-2007, 11:18 AM

I hold a high regard for Finnish soldiers. -But is this because of a special spirit amongst that particular nation, or is it because of Red Army weakness? (The Germans clearly gave the Soviets the biggest beating ever in 41)

I suspect a mix. -What make Finns good fighters?

Rittmester

02-07-2007, 02:37 PM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/56/Erich_Hartmann.jpg

Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann (April 19, 1922 - September 20, 1993), also nicknamed "The Blond Knight Of Germany" by friends and "the Black Devil" by his enemies, is the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial combat. He claimed 352 enemy aircraft shot down (of which 345 were flown by the Soviet Air Force, and 260 of which were fighters) in 825 combat sorties while serving with the Luftwaffe, Germany's air force, in World War II. Hartmann was forced to crash land his damaged fighter 14 times.

Early life

Hartmann was born in Weissach in Württemberg. Most of his childhood was spent in the Far East, as his father was a doctor working in China. Hartmann returned to Germany in 1928, and as many youths he joined the sailplane training programme of the fledgling Luftwaffe. He got his pilot's license in 1939, and started his education in Luftkriegsschule II in late 1940.

Career in the Luftwaffe

Hartmann got his 'wings' in 1941 and was assigned to the fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 52 in October 1942. JG 52 was stationed on the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union and was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf-109G.

http://www.flightjournal.com/images/articles/bulge/me109_large.jpg

III./JG 52's commander, Gruppekommandeur Major Hubertus von Bonin, placed Hartmann under the experienced Oberfeldwebel Alfred Grislawski. After a few days of intensive mock combats and practice flights, Grislawski admitted that although Hartmann had much to learn regarding combat tactics, he was a quite talented pilot.
Hartmann was assigned to the 7./JG 52[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Hartmann#_note-luftwaffe) to serve as wingman to the Luftwaffe ace Walter Krupinski, who became his mentor and friend. He shot down his first Soviet plane on 5 November 1942, an Il-2 from 7 GShAP. At year end he had added only one more kill, and as with many top aces took some time to gradually establish himself as a consistently scoring fighter pilot.

http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/foto1/hartm1-2.jpg

On July 7, 1943, he shot down seven planes in a single day during the massive air dogfights during the Battle of Kursk. He had reached 50 kills by August 1943, and in that month claimed another 48 kills. He was then appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 52 in September 1943. By late August 1943 Hartmann had 90 claims, but on 19 August in combat with Il-2's his aircraft was damaged and he was forced to land behind Soviet lines. Harmann was captured and loaded into a truck to be taken to the nearest Army HQ but, feigning illness, he managed to jump off the truck and elude his 2 Russian guards. Moving under cover of darkness he successfully walked west back to the German lines. In October 1943, he claimed another 33 kills, and Hartmann was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 29 October (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_29) 1943, after 148 kills. At the end of the year his toll stood at 159.
In 1944, Hartmann continued scoring at an even greater pace. His spectacular rate of kills raised a few eyebrows even in the High Command of the Luftwaffe; his claims were double- and triple-checked, and his performance closely monitored by an observer flying in his formation. In March, he reached 202 kills. By this time the Soviet pilots were familiar with Hartmann's radio call-sign of 'Karaya One' and the Soviet Command had put a price on the German pilot's head. The Russians nicknamed Hartmann 'Cherniye Chort' or 'Black Devil' as for a while Hartmann had added a black 'tulip' design around the spinner of his aircraft, though once this was recognised as Hartmann's fighter by his opponents they were often reluctant to stay and fight. Therefore this aircraft was often allocated to novices to fly in relative safety.
His 300th kill came on 24 August 1944, a day he shot down 11 aircraft. After reaching 300 victories, he was grounded by Luftwaffe chief of staff Hermann Göring, who was fearful of the effect on German morale should such a hero be lost. However, Hartmann successfully lobbied to be reinstated as a combat pilot. For having achieved over 300 kills, Hartmann became one of only 27 German soldiers in WWII to receive the diamonds to his Knight's Cross.

In January - February 1944, Hartmann claimed 50 kills in 60 days. Throughout 1944, Hartmann claimed 172 victories, an all-time record for one year. That June, he engaged American aircraft for the first time, downing four P-51 Mustangs over Romania, but the next month he was forced to bail out when other Mustangs ran his Messerschmitt out of fuel. On 23 August 1944 Hartmann became the top scoring fighter ace, surpassing fellow JG 52 pilot Gerhard Barkhorn.
In early 1945, Hartmann was asked by General Adolf Galland to join the Me-262 units forming to fly the new jet fighter. Hartmann declined the offer, preferring to remain with JG 52. At war's end Hartmann (as Gruppenkommandeur or CO of I./JG 52) and his unit surrendered to the 90th US Infantry Division.

Hartmann flew 825 sorties, losing 14 aircraft from combat damage and forced landings. Hartmann bailed out twice. He was never wounded and never bailed out due to the damage made by an enemy pilot to his plane. His kill tally included some 200 various single-engined Soviet-built fighters, more than 80 American-built P-39s, 15 Il-2 ground attack aircraft, and 10 twin-engined medium bombers. He often said that he was more proud of the fact that he had never lost a wingman in combat than he was about his rate of kills.

Fighting technique

Hartmann was a master of stalk-and-ambush tactics. By his own account, he was convinced that 80% of the pilots he downed didn't even realize what hit them. He relied on the powerful engine of his Messerschmitt Bf-109 for high-power sweeps and quick approaches, occasionally diving through entire enemy formations to take advantage of the confusion that followed in order to disengage. His favourite method of attack was to hold fire until extremely close, then unleash a short burst with all his weapons. As opposed to long-range shooting, this technique allowed him to:

reveal his position only at the last possible moment
compensate for the low muzzle velocity of the Bf-109 cannons
place his shots accurately with minimum waste of ammunition
prevent the adversary from taking evasive actionsIt also implied the risk of having to fly through the debris of a damaged or exploding aircraft, thereby damaging his own fighter in the process (much of the damage Hartmann sustained in combat was caused by collision with flying debris). If it was dangerous to dog-fight further he would break off and content himself with one victory. His careful approach was described by himself by the line "See - Decide - Attack - Break": observe the enemy, decide how to proceed with the attack, make the attack and then disengage to re-evaluate the situation.
Famously, Hartmann once described dog-fighting as "a waste of time".

After the war

After his capture, the U.S. Army handed Hartmann, his pilots, and groundcrew over to the Soviet Union, where he was imprisoned in accordance with the Yalta Agreements, which stated that airmen and soldiers fighting the Russians had to surrender directly to them. Hartmann was charged with war crimes (specifically, deliberate shooting of Russian civilians) and was subjected to harsh treatment during the early years of his imprisonment, including solitary confinement in total darkness. Despite this, Hartmann refused to confess to these charges, which were later dropped. More subtle efforts by the Soviet authorities to convert Hartmann to Communism also failed. He was also offered a post in the East German (DDR) Air Force, which also failed. During his long imprisonment, Hartmann's three-year-old son, whom he had never seen, died. After spending ten and a half years in Soviet POW camps, he was among the last batch of POWs to be released in 1955 and returned to West Germany, where he was reunited with his wife, to whom he had written every day of the war.

When he returned to West Germany, he became an officer in the West German Air Force, where he commanded West Germany’s first all-jet unit, the Jagdgeschwader 71, equipped with U.S.-made Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. He also made several trips to the U.S., where he was trained on U.S. Air Force equipment.

http://www.acesofww2.com/germany/aces/Hartmann/hartmann_f-86f.jpg

Hartmann considered the Lockheed F-104 a fundamentally flawed and unsafe aircraft and strongly opposed its adoption by the West German Air Force. Although events subsequently validated his low opinion of the aircraft (282 crashes and 115 German pilots killed on the F-104 in non-combat missions; allegations of bribes culminating in the Lockheed scandal), his outspoken criticism proved unpopular with his superiors, and he retired in 1970.

Erich Hartmann died on September 20, 1993, at age 71 in Weil im Schönbuch. Russia exonerated Erich Hartmann in January 1997. It was stated that his conviction had not been lawful.

valtrex

02-07-2007, 03:24 PM

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/7890/frizisgw6.jpg
Colonel Mardochaeos (Mardochai) Frizis, a Greek of Jewish origins, was one of the first Greek Senior Officers killed in the WWII . He was killed in the batlle of Vistrica , on December 5th, 1940

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8168/raphtopoulos3nm.jpg
Corporal Gerasimos Raphtopoulos (left) is the youngest ever NCO in the history of the Greek Armed Forces . He was born in Fiscardo, Cephallonia in 1900. During the 1st Balkan War, against the Ottomans, he volunteered at the age of 12 & was accepted as private of the 18th Infantry Regiment of the IV Division . For his courage in the battle of Sarandaporon he received a Mannlicher-Schonauer rifle as a gift. In the battle of Kilkis-Lachana , in 1913, he managed to escape from enprisonment, killing 3 out of the 5 Bulgarian soldiers who had captured him. On his way back, he found a wounded Evzone & carried him with him. For his valour, he was promoted to the Corporal's rank on August 28th, 1913 at the age of 13

Though every U.S. Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine is great, and I deeply appreciate their service towards their country. :D

For those who might not know, SFC Paul Ray Smith was awarded the medal of honor for actions in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith
United States Army

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith’s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” and the United States Army.

-http://http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/smith/citation/index.html

foxtrot023

02-07-2007, 05:44 PM

Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta, also known as "Patapalo" (Pegleg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegleg)), and later as "Mediohombre" (Half-man) for the many wounds suffered in his long military life (3 February (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_3) 1689 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1689) – 7 September (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_7) 1741 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1741)), was a Spanish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain) admiral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral) and one of the greatest strategists and commanders in the history of the Spanish Navy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Navy).
[/URL]
[[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blas_de_Lezo&action=edit&section=1"]edit (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/)] Biography

Born in San Pedro, Pasajes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasaia), Guipuzcoa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guipuzcoa), Spain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain), Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta commenced his naval career in the French navy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_navy) in 1701 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1701) as a midshipman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midshipman). In 1704 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1704) he fought in the War of Spanish Succession (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Spanish_Succession) as a crew member in the Franco-Spanish fleet which threw back the combined forces of England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England) and Netherlands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands) at the Battle of Vélez Málaga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_V%C3%A9lez_M%C3%A1laga). There Lezo lost his left leg. Promoted to ensign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensign), he was present at the battles off Peñíscola (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pe%C3%B1%C3%ADscola), Spain and Palermo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palermo) in Sicily (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicily); his service in these and other actions resulted in his promotion to ship's lieutenant. The defense of Toulon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Toulon_%281707%29) cost him his left eye. He demonstrated a shrewd command in a number of convoys, deceiving the English Navy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Navy) off the Catalan coast. In 1711 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1711) he served in the Navy under the orders of Andrés Pez (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andr%C3%A9s_Pez&action=edit). In 1713 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1713) he was promoted to captain. In 1714 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1714) he lost his right arm in the Siege of Barcelona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Barcelona). Later in this campaign, at the head of one frigate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigate), he captured eleven British ships, including the emblematic Stanhope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanhope).
At the conclusion of the War of Spanish Succession he was entrusted with the command of the flagship Lanfranco and with it the control and generalship of the South Seas Fleet on February 16 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_16), 1723 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1723). He destroyed and drove out English and Dutch pirates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate) from the Pacific (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean) coasts of the Americas, and captured twelve ships. He was married in Peru (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru) in 1725 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1725).
In 1730 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1730) he returned to Spain and was promoted to chief of the Mediterranean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean) Fleet; with this force he went to the Republic of Genoa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Genoa) to enforce the the payment of two million pesos owed to Spain that had been retained in the Bank of San Jorge. Deeming the honour of the Spanish flag to be at stake, Blas de Lezo menaced the city with bombardment.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Fragata_Lezo.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fragata_Lezo.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fragata_Lezo.jpg)
Blas de Lezo's frigate towing its prize, the British ship Stanhope.

In 1732 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1732), on board the Santiago, he commanded an expedition to Oran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oran) with 54 ships and 30,000 men and recaptured the city from the Ottoman Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire). Bay Hassan (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bay_Hassan&action=edit) managed to reunite his troops and surrounded the city; Lezo returned to its aid with six ships and 5,000 men and managed to drive off the Algerian pirate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_pirate) after a hard fight. Disatisfied with this he took his 60-gun flagship into the corsair's refuge of Mostagan's bay (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mostagan%27s_bay&action=edit), a bastion defended by two fortified castles and 4,000 Moors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors). Braving the fire from the forts he turned his guns on the town and inflicted heavy damage on the castles. In the following months he established a naval blockade, preventing the Algerians from receiving reinforcements from Istanbul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul), thereby gaining valuable time for the securing of Oran's defences, until an epidemic forced him to return to Cadiz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadiz).
In 1734 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1734) the king promoted him to General Lieutenant of the Navy. He returned to America with the ships Fuerte and Conquistador in 1737 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1737) as General Commander of Cartagena de Indias (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena_de_Indias), a city that he had to defend against the English admiral Edward Vernon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Vernon) in a famous siege (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siege_of_Cartagena_de_Indias_%281741%29&action=edit) during the War of Jenkins Ear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Jenkins_Ear).
The English invasion fleet was one of largest in history, numbering 186 vessels, including ships of the line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ships_of_the_line), frigates, fireships, and transports, with a total complement of 23,600 combatants and some 2,000 cannons. To counter this Blas de Lezo had at his disposal just 3,000 regular soldiers, 600 Indian archers, and the crews and troops of six frigates: the flagship Galicia and the ships San Felipe, San Carlos, Africa Dragón and Conquistador. Nevertheless Blas de Lezo counted upon the sturdy defenses of the city, his own careful preperations, and his experience in 22 battles.
The colossal battle lasted 67 days. The defeat of the British invasion assured the preservation of the Spanish Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Empire) in the Americas. Blas de Lezo was mortally wounded in the siege of Cartagena, the defense of which was his greatest victory. While he died in Cartagena de Indias (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena_de_Indias), Colombia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia), his burial site remains lost to history

zad

02-07-2007, 07:35 PM

Not all the germans fought in the fascist side.

22083

Hans Beimler, 1895 Munich, 1936 Madrid, member of the central committee of the KPD and member of Reichstag parliament, on 11 April 1933 Hans Beimler was arrested and brutaly tortured in the Munich police headquarters, On 25 April 1933 he was send to the concentration camp of Dachau, he scaped the night of 8 to 9 of may the day before of his execution dressed with the clothes of a SS guard wich he had killed, he was the first in give a description of the conditions of fascist concentration camps. At the begining of the spanish civil war he traveled to Spain in defense of the democratic goverment against the fascist militar uprising backed by Italy and Germany, founder and political commissar of the Thaelman batallion formed by anti-fascist germans ascribed to XII International Brigade wich took vital part in the defence of Madrid, where he did the final sacrifice the 1 of december fighting for freedom, more than two millions spaniards attended to his burial, an honour, which no Spanish king had yet.

Col. Jan Breyetenbach greatest modern South African soldier. This man joined the old UDF in the early 50s as a tank officer and left soon afterwards and joined the fleet air arm as a navigator taking part in the Suez invasion.

In the early 60s he returned to SA and rejoined the SADF. Soon after rejoining he and 6 other men formed the embryonic Recce's which he commanded. His first op was to assist the Baifran ressistance in their war. The second op netted him a Honoris Crux for paddling into the capital of Tanzania's harbour and performing acts of sabotage.

His next assignment along with some of his recces had him take out the first and only SWAPO camp to exist in namibia.

By the mid 70s he was sitting cooling his heals at defence hq when he was send to Angola to retrain soldier of the FNLA. After months of scrapping in Angola he brought out Combat Group Bravo and in the face of stiff resistance bullied the unit into the SADFs ranks as 32 Battalion.

In the late 70s he left 32 for a staff course and was latter apointed to the command of 44 Para Bde. It was in this capacity that he led one of the largest airborne ops after WW2 when the paras struck Cassinga during Op. Rheindeer in 1979.

On handing over command of 44 he moved to the Caprivi where he ran a training base for Unita soldiers. A post he held until he left the army due to his resistance against corruption within the ranks of the SADF.

Here is a photo taken of this great soldier about a week ago. A great man.

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9987/019wp5.jpg

Lord Of War

02-08-2007, 06:55 AM

Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham VC and bar (September 21, 1908 – November 22, 1994) was a New Zealand soldier who won the Victoria Cross twice during the Second World War: in Crete in May 1941, and at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, in July 1942. He is only the third person to receive the Victoria Cross twice, the only to receive two VCs during the Second World War and the only combat soldier to receive the award twice. (The others are Arthur Martin-Leake and N.G. Chavase who both served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the First World War).

In March 1941 his battalion left for Greece and then withdrew to Crete, and it was here that he was wounded in the action — from May 22-30 1941 — that gained him his first Victoria Cross.

The award citation says he displayed outstanding gallantry in close-quarter fighting, and was twice hit by mortar fire and badly wounded. In spite of this and an attack of dysentery which reduced him to a skeletal appearance, he refused hospital treatment and carried a badly wounded man to safety when forced to retire. Eight days later he fended off an attack at Sphakia, 22 Germans falling to his fire.

Upham was evacuated to Egypt, now promoted to captain. He received the bar for his actions on July 14 and 15, 1942.

When leading his company attacking an enemy-held ridge overlooking the El Alamein battlefield, he was wounded twice but took the objective after fierce fighting. He destroyed a German tank, several guns and vehicles with grenades. A machinegun bullet through the elbow shattered Upham's arm, but he went on again to a forward position and brought back some of his men who had become isolated.

After his wounds were dressed, he returned to his men but was again severely wounded and unable to move. He was eventually overrun by the superior weight of the enemy forces and taken prisoner.
After capture, he was sent to an Italian hospital to recuperate but attempted to escape numerous times before being branded "dangerous" by the Germans and incarcerated in the infamous Oflag IV-C (Colditz) on October 14 1944.

One attempted escape occurred when a group of POWs were being transported in open trucks through Italy. Upham jumped from the truck at a bend and managed to get four hundred yards away before being recaptured. He had broken an ankle in jumping from the moving truck.
When Colditz was liberated by American forces most of the inmates made their own way home immediately. Upham broke into a German armoury, helped himself to weaponry, and went out hunting Germans. Upham was keen to see action again, but was instead sent to Britain where he was reunited with Molly McTamney, who was then serving as a nurse. They were married at New Milton, Hampshire, on 20 June 1945. He returned to New Zealand in early September, and Molly followed after him in December.

When King George VI inquired of Major-General Howard Kippenberger whether Upham deserved a bar to the cross, Kippenberger replied: "In my respectful opinion, sir, Upham has won the VC several times over."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hazlitt_Upham

Doublethinker

02-08-2007, 07:16 AM

http://wblrd.sk.ca/%7Ehistory20/unit2/u2IMG/u2s2_4_1.gif

This soldier, I'd say, played the greatest part in history among all soldiers.

Freibier

02-08-2007, 07:28 AM

http://wblrd.sk.ca/%7Ehistory20/unit2/u2IMG/u2s2_4_1.gif

This soldier, I'd say, played the greatest part in history among all soldiers.
No other military force in the history of mankind dished out as much damage as the Wehrmacht under his command but I wouldn't mention him in the context of greatest soldier ...

Doublethinker

02-08-2007, 07:51 AM

No other military force in the history of mankind dished out as much damage as the Wehrmacht under his command but I wouldn't mention him in the context of greatest soldier ...

Why? Iron cross is iron cross. And there are quite a few soldiers who combined personal courage as soldiers, with gift of political leadership.

Freibier

02-08-2007, 07:54 AM

Why? Iron cross is iron cross. And there are quite a few soldiers who combined personal courage as soldiers, with gift of political leadership.
He was a soldier for less than four years and won the iron cross.
While that is a accomplishment, most other persons that were posted in this thread accomplished much more. So while he probably was a good soldier, he was nowhere among "the greatest", imho.

Doublethinker

02-08-2007, 08:02 AM

I thought I explained my reasoning: he was great in his ability to combine military prowess as a soldier with political giftedness.

Freibier

02-08-2007, 08:05 AM

Ok, that's a valid point.

Switek

02-08-2007, 08:08 AM

http://wblrd.sk.ca/%7Ehistory20/unit2/u2IMG/u2s2_4_1.gif

This soldier, I'd say, played the greatest part in history among all soldiers.

If it was a greatest corporals contest he'd has chance to win... ;)

Vehemence

02-08-2007, 09:37 AM

Kurt Knispel.

I can't find any info on him on the net. But I read about him in a book.

He was a tanker, with more kills than the iconic Michael Wittman. He was also an exemplary soldier, diving into situations many would consider suicidal to help his brothers in arms.

Other worthy attributes were his distaste for treating POW's improperly. So much so that he, on at least one occasion, took matters into his onw hands and reprimanded a German soldier for kicking and beating a Russian POW with his rifle. The German soldier then experienced the Russians exact pain, before having his rifle broken by the tanker so he doesn't do anything stupid.

IanSolo

02-08-2007, 10:07 AM

I was in the 'Folgore' ( thunderbolt ) paratrooper brigade during my military service, so I am proud of the history of 'my' unit, for my point of view not just a man but a divison of heroes.
Maybe it's (and it was) not just my point of view because these have been the 'allied' words describing Folgore during and just after the battle of El-Alamein (and u know that the enemy is never kind describing the opponents p-) ) :

- Nov. 8th 1942 Allied dispatch:

" the resistence of Folgore division is really admirable" -

- Nov. 11th 1942:

" The rests of Folgore division resisted over any human possibility" -

- B.B.C., Dec. 3rd 1942:

" The last survivors of Folgore have been gathered without forces in the desert, no one of them surrended, no one left his weapon" -

- W. Churchill speech to the chamber ,Nov. 21 1942:

" We really must bow in front of the rest of those who have been the 'LIONS' of the Folgore Division" -

well, u can find a brief history about the facts here:
http://www.avalanchepress.com/FolgoreAtAlamein.php

Had an hour long class about this guy in sniper school.
Arguably the best sniper ever to walk the earth.

http://www.mosinnagant.net/images/simohayha.jpg

Article from wikipedia:

Simo Häyhä

Simo Häyhä (December 17, 1905–April 1, 2002), nicknamed "Belaya Smert" (Russian Cyrillic Белая Смерть; in English, White Death; Finnish Valkoinen kuolema) by the Soviet army, was a Finnish soldier, and is widely considered to be the most successful sniper in history.

Early life, World War II service

He was born in the small town of Rautjärvi near the present-day border with Russia, and started his military service in 1925. During the Winter War (1939 – 1940) between Finland and the Soviet Union, he began his duty as a sniper against the Red Army. Working in temperatures between −20 to −40 degrees Celsius, and dressed completely in a white camouflage suit, Häyhä was credited with 505 confirmed kills against Soviet soldiers.

The unofficial Finnish frontline figure from the battle field of Kollaa places the number of Häyhä's sniper kills at 542. A daily account of the kills at Kollaa was conducted for the Finnish snipers. Häyhä used a Finnish variant, M28, of the Soviet Mosin-Nagant rifle (known as "Pystykorva" rifle), because it suited his small frame (5 ft/1.52 m). He preferred to use iron sights rather than telescopic sights to present a smaller target (the sniper must raise their head higher when using telescopic sights) and aid concealment (sun reflecting off telescopic sight lenses can reveal a sniper's position).

Besides his sniper kills, Simo Häyhä was also credited with as many as two hundred kills with a Suomi M-31 SMG submachine gun, thus bringing his credited kills to at least 705. However, the latter claim has never been substantiated. Many of Häyhä's kills were accomplished within 100 days prior to injuries caused by an enemy bullet. Häyhä's record of an average of 5 kills a day, almost one kill per daylight hour of the short winter day, is unique.

Before his injury, the Russians tried several plans to get rid of him, including counter snipers and artillery strikes. Their best result was tearing the back of his coat away with shrapnel, but leaving Häyhä himself unscratched.

On March 6, 1940, Häyhä was shot in the jaw during close combat. The bullet tumbled upon impact and left his head. He was picked up by fellow soldiers who said "half his head was missing". He regained consciousness on March 13, the day peace was declared. Shortly after the war, Häyhä was promoted straight from lance corporal to second lieutenant by Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. No-one else has ever gained rank in such a dramatic fashion in Finland's military history.

Later life

When asked in 1998 how he had become such a good shot, he answered, "Practice." About his record, he has said "I did what I was told to as well as I could." Simo Häyhä spent his last years in a small town called Ruokolahti located in the south-east Finland next to the Russian border.

http://www.mosinnagant.net/images/Untitled-39000.jpg
"Many remember Simo Häyhä only as using the Mosin Nagant M28 rifle with open sights and only credit his high kill total to his role as a sniper; however, this is not entirely correct as Häyhä was also an expert with the Suomi K31 SMG and a large number of the Soviets that he felled were from his K31. Above are examples of the tools of Simo Häyhä in his hunts in Kollaa."

Interesting, reminds me of a movie I saw on the history channel, I can’t remember what it was called. It was about Italian soldiers that had to hold a certain location for 24-hours, to cover the retreat of the Germans. The Italians held off repeated British attacks. When the 24-hours was up, they surrendered to the British, a British commander saluted them as they marched past his staff car.

Stevan Sinđelić (Стеван Синђелић); (1770-May 19th 1809) was one of commanders (vojvoda) in the First Serbian Uprising. His name became synonymous with courage among many Serbs.

Sinđelić led the rebels from Resava and already in the initial battles he defeated part of the Turkish Army near Medveđa. He also demonstrated outstanding courage and dedication in the Battles of Ivankovac (1805) and Deligrad (1806).

On the day of Holy Trinity, May 19, 1809 (during First Serbian uprising), the Ottoman Turks marched out of Niš and headed towards Sinđelić's trenches with 3,000 strong cavalry and four cannons. First the prayer to God (for forgiveness and guidance) and then, the positioning of the cannons, followed by a slow approach to the trenches on Cegar Hill. With the first volley over, the Turks charged the trenches.

When Sinđelić saw the trenches were filled with Turkish bodies, which still didn't stop the enemy from charging in over the dead and fighting his men with rifle butts, he opened the trench gate and told his soldiers they were free to attempt avoiding certain death by leaving the field of battle if they so wished. His famous words were: Save yourselves brothers, who wants and who can! Who stays will die! He himself took a position in the middle of the trench where the gunpowder was stored. Taking his handgun from his belt and reloading it, he then took a look around too see what was happening. There was panic in the trenches. Men, both Serbs and Turks, were choking and dropping dead or wounded all around him.

When the Turks swarmed the trench from all sides and headed for him Sinđelić fired his handgun into the gunpowder container, triggering a huge explosion that shook the surrounding fields and hills. Thick smoke engulfed the trench and billowed skyward. The Serbs that were still in the trench with Sinđelić and the attacking Turks were all blown into the air and killed. This explosion ended the life of a man know as the "falcon of Cegar", the commander of Resava, Stevan Sinđelić.

Every single one of Cegar Hill defenders as well as all the Turkish troops attacking it were killed in this battle. Soon after, as a warning to Serb population, the Turks erected the famous and still standing Cele-kula by the side of the road towards Constantinople. They built it out of Serbian soldiers' skulls. It was done by order of Turkish pasha Hurshid, Turkish commander of the town of Niš at that time.

Billy Waugh was a US Army Special Forces soldier in Vietnam. He conducted many successful operations in Southeast Asia, including several HALO parachute operations. He later went on to work with the Central Intelligence Agency.
I also think my cousin, Barry Kaplin, was a great soldier. He isn't in any books but he is the reason why I want to be a soldier.

IanSolo

02-09-2007, 05:58 AM

@ IanSolo,

Interesting, reminds me of a movie I saw on the history channel, I can’t remember what it was called. It was about Italian soldiers that had to hold a certain location for 24-hours, to cover the retreat of the Germans. The Italians held off repeated British attacks. When the 24-hours was up, they surrendered to the British, a British commander saluted them as they marched past his staff car.

Hi Bryson, Maybe U wrote about this fact:

--From the book 'Alamein' of Paolo Caccia Dominioni: “…3 Italian prisoneers get off from a vehicle, one generaland 2 colonels, they are wearing the Folgore uniform: They are Frattini, the commander, Bignami vice commander and Boffa commander of the paratrooper's artillery. An interpreter approach them: ''Are you the commander of the Folgore? A general would like to meet you''

The man is General Hugues of the 44th division , ( the one that had more KIAs in the attack vs Folgore ). The 3 officiers stands and do the formal military salutation. Hugues gives the hand to Frattini but he doesn't moves.

“ I eard – says Hugues – that the commander of the Folgore was dead. Now I know it was not true and I would like to tell you that I am happy of that”. Frattini: “Thanks”.

Hugues again: “I would like to say that during all my long military career I never saw soldiers like the Folgore ones”. Frattini: “ Thanks”. The conversation is finished. The hands goes up to do the formal salutation and the 2 generals separate.

To the Folgore paratroopers was grant to march with the honour of the weapons.

Of the5.000 paratroopers sent to Africa 4 months before, the survived where only 32 officiers and 262 soldiers, most of them wounded. Before to surrender they shooted until the last ammo and the last hand-grenade.--

There should be a photo about that , unfortunately I was not able to find it! :-(

does anyone remember the name of the SF soldier in the Vietnam War that carries only pistols ( 6 or 7 of them) and sub-machine gun when he goes to the bush? In one of the pic he was carrying a silenced M3 grease gun.

gaijinsamurai

02-10-2007, 08:03 AM

Mack Bolan?

USMC Poolee

02-10-2007, 08:11 AM

Dan Daly
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/DanielDaly.jpg/180px-DanielDaly.jpg
"In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_Rebellion), he received his first Medal of Honor for single-handedly defending his position against repeated attacks and inflicted casualties of around 200 on the attacking Boxers.
His second Medal of Honor came fifteen years later. On the night of October 24 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_24), 1915 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915), he was part of a group of 35 Marines who were ambushed by a force of approximately 400 Cacos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caco) (Haitian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti) bandits). He led one of the three groups of men during the fight to reach a nearby fort, and was awarded the medal for his conspicuous actions."

"Daly was offered a commission (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commissioned_officer) on several occasions, but he always refused, on the grounds that he would rather be "an outstanding sergeant than just another officer."
OORAH!

Doublethinker

02-11-2007, 06:03 AM

Dan Daly
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/DanielDaly.jpg/180px-DanielDaly.jpg
"In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_Rebellion), he received his first Medal of Honor for single-handedly defending his position against repeated attacks and inflicted casualties of around 200 on the attacking Boxers.

OORAH!

What incredible courage. :roll:The chinese usually didn't even have any weapons and relied on their good luck charms to protect them from bullets.

This Swedish soldier I regard as quite something.
http://www.mhsk.mil.se/images/local/allan_mann_c.jpg

Allan Mann (1921-2005)
Fought as volunteer in Finland against the Soviets during the Winter war of 1939-40. Then fought as a volunteer in southern Norway and later at Narvik on the Norwegian side against the Germans during winter/spring of 1940. In fighting against the Germans along the Iron ore railway between Narvik and Kiruna, dragged a wounded French officer of the Foreign legion through the mountain wilderness to safety in Sweden on an improvised sledge for 19 hours, despite himself being quite seriously wounded also.
Later served as a courier between Sweden and Norway for the Norwegian resistance/SOE.
Received training with SOE in and joined Norwegian Independent Coy no. 1 Brittain during 1944. Paradropped over Finnmark county - Northern Norway during late 1944 to conduct intel- and insurgency support mission.
Afther WW-2 worked for many years as a PTI at the Swedish War academy at Karlberg.

Ghostryder

02-11-2007, 06:23 PM

I thought I explained my reasoning: he was great in his ability to combine military prowess as a soldier with political giftedness.

Between your location and your posts, I'm starting to lose patience with you.

Ghostryder

02-11-2007, 06:28 PM

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/6048/gi4ki0.jpg

Believe it or not, this soldier from the famous Ia Drang picture was killed in the Twin Towers on sept. 11th

Delta Niner

02-11-2007, 08:13 PM

Believe it or not, this soldier from the famous Ia Drang picture was killed in the Twin Towers on sept. 11th

yep that's Rick Rescorla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

he also has a book "Heart of A Soldier", bought it about a year ago, its a good read. :)

Delta Niner

02-11-2007, 08:21 PM

Mack Bolan?

No not him.:) the story goes that his dog defecated in one of the officer's bar and some guy grabbed the dog's neck and put its nose into the poo. The Sf guy heard about this and was obviously pissed. He proceeded to the above mentioned club and relieved himself and asked anyone would be brave enough to grab him by neck too. ofcourse no one did.

kawaiku

02-11-2007, 08:31 PM

yep that's Rick Rescorla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

he also has a book "Heart of A Soldier", bought it about a year ago, its a good read. :)
Yea the History Channel did a story on him..."The Man who predicted 9/11"- or something along those lines. Interesting show it was.

USMC Poolee

02-13-2007, 03:17 AM

What incredible courage. :roll:The chinese usually didn't even have any weapons and relied on their good luck charms to protect them from bullets.
They taught they were tougher than U.S. Marines. Someone had to prove them wrong.
OO-RAH!

Sharkattack

02-16-2007, 07:52 AM

Col. Jan Breyetenbach greatest modern South African soldier.

Vorster I've just sent this pic to a colleague of mine who was an operator in 32 Batt. The dude almost had a stroke when I told him I have the very latest photo of the man:) . It'll be a sad day indeed when he passes on.

Sharkattack

02-19-2007, 06:56 AM

This dude may be a policeman but could quite easily pass for a soldier going by the nature of his job in the urban environment of a typical South African day. It's considered a normal day to be shot at, draw your firearm several times in a shift and to shoot at suspects to preserve your own survival. I personally consider a South African cop a true soldier in the never ending fight against spiralling crime in the Republic.
http://saps.reserve.org.za/e107_plugins/coppermine_menu/albums/userpics/10209/GR1.jpg (javascript: window.close())

Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailovich (Serbian (http://www.answers.com/topic/serbian-language) Cyrillic (http://www.answers.com/topic/cyrillic-alphabet): Драгољуб "Дража" Михаиловић; also known as Чича / Čiča (Old man)) (April 27 (http://www.answers.com/topic/april-27), 1893 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1893) - July 17 (http://www.answers.com/topic/july-17), 1946 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1946)), was a Serbian (http://www.answers.com/topic/serbia) general (http://www.answers.com/topic/general) now primarily remembered as leader of the Yugoslav Royal Army in the Fatherland (http://www.answers.com/topic/yugoslav-army-in-the-fatherland) (the "Chetniks (http://www.answers.com/topic/chetniks)") during World War II (http://www.answers.com/topic/world-war-ii). After the war, he was tried by rival Communist Partisans (http://www.answers.com/topic/partisans) for alleged collaboration, shot and then buried in an unmarked grave. U.S. President (http://www.answers.com/topic/president-of-the-united-states-2) Harry S. Truman (http://www.answers.com/topic/harry-s-truman) posthumously awarded him the Legion of Merit (http://www.answers.com/topic/legion-of-merit) for overseeing the rescue of five hundred American airmen by Chetniks during World War II.
Born in Ivanjica (http://www.answers.com/topic/ivanjica), Serbia (http://www.answers.com/topic/serbia), Mihailović went to the Serbian military academy in October 1910 and as a cadet fought in the Balkan Wars (http://www.answers.com/topic/balkan-wars) 1912–1913. In July 1913 he was given rank of Second Lieutenant (http://www.answers.com/topic/lieutenant) as the top soldier in his class. He served in World War I (http://www.answers.com/topic/world-war-i) and together with the Serbian army marched through Albania (http://www.answers.com/topic/albania) in 1915 during the long retreat of the Serbian army. He later received several decorations for his achievements on the Salonica (http://www.answers.com/topic/thessaloniki) front.
Between the wars he became a staff officer (elite of Serbian/Yugoslav (http://www.answers.com/topic/kingdom-of-yugoslavia) army) and achieved the rank of colonel (http://www.answers.com/topic/colonel). He also served as military attaché (http://www.answers.com/topic/attach-person) in Sofia (http://www.answers.com/topic/sofia) and Prague (http://www.answers.com/topic/prague).
His military career almost came to an abrupt end after several incidents, the most important one being the idea of dividing the Yugoslav army along national lines into (Serbs (http://www.answers.com/topic/serb), Croats (http://www.answers.com/topic/croat), and Slovenes (http://www.answers.com/topic/slovene)), for which he was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment. World War II (http://www.answers.com/topic/world-war-ii) found Mihailović occupying a minor position of assistant to chief of staff of the Second Army.
Following the Yugoslav defeat by Germany (http://www.answers.com/topic/germany) in April 1941, a small group of officers and soldiers led by Mihailović refused to surrender, and retreated in hope of finding Yugoslav army units still fighting in mountains. After arriving at Ravna Gora (http://www.answers.com/topic/ravna-gora), Serbia (http://www.answers.com/topic/serbia) on May 8 (http://www.answers.com/topic/may-8), he realized that his group of seven officers and twenty four non-commissioned officers and soldiers was the only one.
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/a/ab/180px-Mihailovic.jpg (http://www.answers.com/topic/mihailovic-jpg) http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/style/images/magnify-clip.png (http://www.answers.com/topic/mihailovic-jpg)
Colonel Mihailovich, 1930 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1930)'s

At Ravna Gora, Mihailović organized the Chetniks (http://www.answers.com/topic/chetniks) detachment of the Yugoslav Army, which became the Military-chetnik detachments and finally Yugoslav Army of the Homeland (Jugoslovenska vojska u otadžbini).
The first Chetnik formations led by Mihailović were formed around Ravna Gora on June 14 (http://www.answers.com/topic/june-14),. The stated goal of the Chetniks was the liberation of the country from the occupying armies including the forces of Nazi Germany (http://www.answers.com/topic/nazi-germany), Fascist Italy (http://www.answers.com/topic/italian-fascism) and Ustase (http://www.answers.com/topic/usta-e) (the fascist regime of the Croatia (http://www.answers.com/topic/independent-state-of-croatia)).
However, he decided against a mass uprising because of catastrophical Serb losses in World War I (http://www.answers.com/topic/world-war-i), in which the Kingdom of Serbia lost a quarter of its population to the war. Instead, Mihailović gathered logistics in men and weapons, waiting for an Allied landing in the Balkans. A WW I uprising leader and former Chetnik himself, Kosta Milovanović Pećanac, opposed this view and opted for cooperation with the Germans against the Communists. Pećanac and Mihailović became rivals, both claiming to the Chetnik heritage and with Pećanac commanding a much smaller allegiance than Mihailović. Because of his open collaboration with the Germans, Pećanac was shot in 1944 by Mihailović's Chetniks for treason upon his capture.
In 1943, the Germans decided to pursue the Chetniks in the northern zone, and offered a reward of 100,000 Reichsmarks for the capture of Mihailović, dead or alive.
The British Special Operations Executive (http://www.answers.com/topic/special-operations-executive) were being sent to aid Mihailović's forces beginning with the autumn of 1941. Mihailović rose in rank, becoming the Minister of War of the exile government in January 11 (http://www.answers.com/topic/january-11), 1942 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1942) and General and Deputy Commander-in-Chief on June 17 (http://www.answers.com/topic/june-17) the same year.
The Chetniks (http://www.answers.com/topic/chetniks) were forced to move to eastern Bosnia where they engaged in heavy combat with the Ustaše, resulting in several incidents of war crimes (http://www.answers.com/topic/war-crime) against people who supported the other faction. It is unclear however how much say Mihailović himself had in these incidents. The Chetnik movement was highly decentralized, and in that way was more like a collective of many small regional guerrillas which shared the same name, rather than a unified army under complete control of Mihailović and his staff.
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/3/38/180px-DMihailovic_poternica.jpg (http://www.answers.com/topic/dmihailovic-poternica-jpg) http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/style/images/magnify-clip.png (http://www.answers.com/topic/dmihailovic-poternica-jpg)
German standing offer of 100,000 Reichsmarks in gold for Mihailović capture, 1943 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1943)

By the middle of 1943, the partisan movement had successfully survived an intense period of Axis pressure, while the Chetniks had almost entirely abandoned anti-fascist activities in favour of fighting the Partizans. Consequently, at the Tehran Conference (http://www.answers.com/topic/tehran-conference) in November 1943, a decision was made by the Allies to cease their support of the Chetniks, and switch allegiances to Tito (http://www.answers.com/topic/josip-broz-tito)'s Partisans who were the main anti-fascist resistance group in Yugoslavia.
Towards the end of the war, Mihailović went into hiding in East Bosnia. He was captured on March 13 (http://www.answers.com/topic/march-13), 1946 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1946) by agents of OZNA (http://www.answers.com/topic/ozna) (Odsjek Zastite Naroda — Department of National Security). Tried for high treason (http://www.answers.com/topic/treason) and war crimes (http://www.answers.com/topic/war-crime) from June 10 (http://www.answers.com/topic/june-10) to July 15 (http://www.answers.com/topic/july-15), he was found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad on July 15th. The Presidium of the National Assembly rejected the clemency appeal on July 16 (http://www.answers.com/topic/july-16). He was executed together with nine other officers in the early hours of 18 July (http://www.answers.com/topic/july-18) 1946 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1946), in Lisiciji Potok, about 200 meters from the former Royal Palace, and buried in an unmarked grave on the same spot. His main prosecutor was Miloš Minić (http://www.answers.com/topic/milo-mini), later minister of foreign affairs for the Communist (http://www.answers.com/topic/communism) government of Yugoslavia (http://www.answers.com/topic/yugoslavia).
His execution was a sticking point in Franco (http://www.answers.com/topic/france)–Yugoslav (http://www.answers.com/topic/socialist-federal-republic-of-yugoslavia) relations and Charles de Gaulle (http://www.answers.com/topic/charles-de-gaulle), Mihailović's friend, refused to visit Yugoslavia due to what he viewed as Mihailović's murder by Marshal Tito's communist regime.

Due to the efforts of Major Richard L. Felman (http://www.answers.com/topic/richard-l-felman) and his friends, President Harry S. Truman (http://www.answers.com/topic/harry-s-truman), on the recommendation of General Dwight D. Eisenhower (http://www.answers.com/topic/dwight-d-eisenhower), posthumously awarded Mihailović the "Legion of Merit (http://www.answers.com/topic/legion-of-merit)", for the rescue of American Airmen by Chetniks. For the first time in history, this high award and the story of the rescue was classified secret by the State Department so as not to offend the communist government of Yugoslavia (http://www.answers.com/topic/yugoslavia).
"General Dragoljub Mihailovich distinguished himself in an outstanding manner as Commander-in-Chief of the Yugoslavian Army Forces and later as Minister of War by organizing and leading important resistance forces against the enemy which occupied Yugoslavia, from December 1941 to December 1944. Through the undaunted efforts of his troops, many United States airmen were rescued and returned safely to friendly control. General Mihailovich and his forces, although lacking adequate supplies, and fighting under extreme hardships, contributed materially to the Allied cause, and were instrumental in obtaining a final Allied victory." March 29 (http://www.answers.com/topic/march-29), 1948 (http://www.answers.com/topic/1948), Harry S. Truman (http://www.answers.com/topic/harry-s-truman). Almost sixty years later, on May 9 (http://www.answers.com/topic/may-9) 2005 (http://www.answers.com/topic/2005), Draža Mihailović's daughter Gordana was presented with a decoration bestowed posthumously on Draža Mihailović by President Truman (http://www.answers.com/topic/truman) in 1948, for the assistance provided to the crews of US bombers that were gunned down on the territory under Chetnik control in World War II (http://www.answers.com/topic/world-war-ii).
SOURCE: ANSWERS.COM

Theirs story is known:
Gordon and Shugart was deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia with other Delta members in the summer of 1993 as part of Task Force Ranger. On October 3, 1993 Gordon was Sniper Team Leader during Operation Gothic Serpent, a joint-force assault mission to apprehend key advisers to Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

Gordon and his sniper teammate SFC Randall Shughart, who were providing sniper cover from the air, requested to be dropped at the second crash site in order to protect the four critically wounded crew, despite the fact that large numbers of armed, hostile Somalis were converging on the area.

Mission commanders denied Gordon's request, saying that the situation was already too dangerous for the two Delta snipers to effectively protect the Blackhawk crew from the ground. Command's position was that the snipers could be of more assistance by continuing to provide air cover. Gordon, however, concluded that there was no way for the Black Hawk crew could survive on their own, and repeating his request twice until he finally received permission.

Despite having inflicted heavy casulaties against the Somalis, the two Delta snipers were too outnumbered and outgunned. Their ammunition nearly depleted, Gordon and Shughart finally were killed by Somali gunfire. It is believed that Gordon was first to be fatally wounded. His teammate Shughart retreived Gordon's CAR-15 assault rifle and gave it to Durant to use. Shortly after, Shughart was killed and Durant was taken alive.

gaijinsamurai

02-20-2007, 06:37 AM

I'm glad someone remembered to include them in this thread.
Thanks, Marek.

9mmRifle

02-20-2007, 07:22 AM

Wikipedia is rather short on info but there's more if you google. I believe there are also a number of books. This one in english:

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/4383/underthreeflagssa9.jpg

I always felt he sounded like a real mercenary, not the makings of a good soldier IMHO
I'm not even sure if he should have been pardoned but he did ok in Nam

gaijinsamurai

02-20-2007, 08:22 AM

Was he pardoned?
What for? I don't remember him having committed any crimes.

Of course, it's been a good seven or eight years since I've read the book.

Kant

02-20-2007, 08:41 AM

From Wikipedia

This Digger had a toughness that most men could simply dream of.
Read the whole article, and you'll be as astonished as I was.
Albert Jacka

Albert Jacka VC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross) MC and Bar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Cross) (10 January (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_10) 1893 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1893) – 17 January (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_17) 1932 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932)) was the first Australian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia) to receive the Victoria Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross) during the First World War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I). After the war he became the mayor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor) of St Kilda, Victoria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Kilda%2C_Victoria).
Albert Jacka was born on a dairy farm near Winchelsea, Victoria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchelsea%2C_Victoria) on January 10 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_10), 1893 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1893), one of seven children. He was working for the Victorian State Forests Department when the First World War broke out.
//
Military life

Albert Jacka enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Imperial_Force) on 8 September (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_8) 1914 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1914), with the rank of private (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_%28rank%29). Jacka was assigned to the 14th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Division and finished his training in England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England).
After Turkey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey) became a German (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany) ally the 1st Division was sent to Egypt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt) to defend the Suez Canal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal). Albert Jacka and his battalion arrived at Alexandria on 31 January (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_31) 1915 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915). During ten weeks of training south of Cairo the 4th Brigade was merged with two New Zealand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand) brigades and merged with the 1st Light Horse Brigade to form the New Zealand and Australian Division (NZ&A) under Major-General Alexander Godley.
Albert Jacka fought in the Battle of Gallipoli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gallipoli) that started on 25 April (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_25) 1915 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915) when his new division landed at Anzac Cove (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Cove) on the 26th in the Dardanelles, fighting against Turkish defenders on a narrow beach. The NZ&A-held position that was a series of trenches became known as Courtney’s Post where Jacka won the Victoria Cross.
On 19 May (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_19) 1915 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915) the Turks attacked Courtney’s Post (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Courtney%E2%80%99s_Post&action=edit) and captured a portion of it. The NZ&A failed to recapture it in a counter attack. During the conflict Jacka and three men moved to outflank the Turkish position. Albert Jacka was the only man to make it (one was wounded and the others were pinned down by machine gun fire) and Jacka charged the Turkish position over open ground and jumped into a Turkish held trench behind the Turkish soldiers. In the resulting conflict Jacka shot five and bayoneted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayoneted) two Turkish soldiers and then retreated back to his own lines. Jacka took up a trench position and held the trench alone for the remainder of the night. Jacka’s platoon commander found him the next morning and for his actions awarded him the Victoria Cross.
His citation for the award reads:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Albert_Jacka_VC_grave.jpg/180px-Albert_Jacka_VC_grave.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Albert_Jacka_VC_grave.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Albert_Jacka_VC_grave.jpg)
The grave of Albert Jacka, VC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross), in St Kilda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Kilda%2C_Victoria) cemetery, Melbourne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne).

On 19/20 May 1915, at "Courtney's Post", Gallipoli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli), Turkey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey), Lance Corporal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Corporal) Jacka, while holding a portion of our trench with four other men, was heavily attacked. When all except himself were killed or wounded, and the trench was rushed and occupied by seven Turks, Lance-Corporal Jacka most gallantly attacked them single handed, killing the whole party, five by rifle and two with the bayonet. Albert Jacka survived the battlefield and was promoted to corporal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal) on 28 August (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_28) 1915 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915), and was promoted to sergeant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant) four weeks later. During the following November he became company sergeant-major (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_sergeant-major) of Company C. Jacka saw much fighting at Gallipoli where during August 1915 at a battle at Chunuk Bair, Hill 971, and Hill 60, his battalion was still trying to break the beachhead. Jacka recorded in his diary that his battalion had 600 of 800 casualties after only a few days fighting. After nine months of fighting in December 1915 and after 26,111 Australian casualties the Allied forces began to evacuate the peninsula where Jacka was reassigned with the 14th Battalion to Lemnos.
Jacka was reassigned to Egypt with newly formed brigades, and he stayed with 14th battalion in one of the two new brigades from the split of his original brigade. With the new reorganization completed during March 1916, Jacka was commissioned as second lieutenant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_lieutenant) on 19 April (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_19) 1916 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916). After these events, on 1 June (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_1) 1916 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916) the Australian contingent was reassigned to France (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France) to fight the Germans.
Albert Jacka and his unit was assigned to the Allied trenches near Armentières (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenti%C3%A8res) and saw heavy fighting. Jacka’s unit was originally a diversion to distract the Germans for the Somme offensive, but after the disaster that lost 57,470 British and Canadian soldiers the first day of fighting his unit was transferred to the Somme offensive and saw some of the conflict during that disaster.
Jacka’s Australian division, on 23 July (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_23) 1916 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916), was involved in the attack of Pozieres planned by Major-General H.B. Walker. The Australian division suffered 5,286 casualties after three days of fighting. The Australian force captured Pozieres, but the fight was so bloody that the Australians could identify their trenches by the bodies of their comrades showing their red-and-white shoulder patches. The Germans counter-attacked with five battalions with orders to recapture Pozieres.
During the counter-attack Jacka as platoon commander and seven of his men surprised and attacked 150 Germans who had 40 Australian prisoners of the 48th Battalion. The attack was successful with Jacka and all of his men wounded with Jacka wounded seven times. Jacka was credited with killing between 12 and 20 Germans. Jacka was left for dead on the battlefield after he lost consciousness. He regained consciousness and crawled back to friendly lines where he was found and evacuated to England due to battle wounds.
Jacka was awarded the Military Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Cross) for his actions at Pozieres.
After four months of recovering from his wounds he was reassigned to the 14th Battalion on 9 December (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_9) 1916 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916). Jacka was also promoted to the rank of captain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain).
In April 1917 Jacka’s brigade was ordered to attack Bullecourt in support of the British 5th Army attack on Arras. Jacka was the battalion intelligence officer and would perform solo missions into no-man’s-land to reconnoiter enemy trenches. At Bullecourt 2,339 men were lost and another nearly 2,000 were taken prisoner.
Jacka was awarded his second Military Cross for his one-man patrols at Bullecourt and for personally guiding the British tanks into position.
Jacka was given command of D Company, 14th Battalion and survived deadly conflict in France and Belgium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium). In July 1917 Albert Jacka was wounded by a sniper with a leg wound and evacuated to England. After healing he was returned to the front lines.
Jacka was finally removed from the conflict by a mustard gas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_gas) attack on 15 May (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_15) 1918 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918) outside the village of Villers Bretonneux (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Villers_Bretonneux&action=edit). He was evacuated to England for a third time and underwent surgery twice to save his life. Jacka was still recovering from his wounds when the Armistice was signed on 11 November (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_11) 1918 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918) that ended the war.

Post-military life

Jacka’s wounds kept him in Europe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe) and he did not return to Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia) until mid-October 1919 where he was formally discharged from the Australian Imperial Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Imperial_Force) during January 1920.
After the war Jacka initially worked in a private business importing and selling electrical goods set up in partnership with John Wren (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wren). His business collapsed with the Depression of 1929. He was elected to the St. Kilda council in 1929 and then became mayor of the town.
On 14 December (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_14) 1931 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931) Jacka collapsed after a council meeting and was admitted to Caulfield Military Hospital. At age 39 one week after his birthday he died on 17 January (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_17) 1932 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932) due to his First World War wounds.
Albert Jacka was buried at St. Kilda Cemetery with eight other Victoria Cross recipients acting as pallbearers with an estimated 50,000 witnesses to the burial as Jacka’s body passed en route to the cemetery. There is a commemorative service held every 17 January (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_17) in St. Kilda to honor Albert Jacka as Australia’s greatest warrior.
Albert Jacka's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_War_Memorial) in Canberra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra).

Thor

02-20-2007, 09:14 AM

I always felt he sounded like a real mercenary, not the makings of a good soldier IMHO
I'm not even sure if he should have been pardoned but he did ok in Nam
I'm assuming you're a finn

Whatever Törni did he did for Finland. He was a professional soldier, but out of conviction and not because he was out to find the highest bidder.

Was he pardoned?
What for? I don't remember him having committed any crimes.

Of course, it's been a good seven or eight years since I've read the book.
After the war Finland remained independent but heavily tied to Soviet Union under harsh terms. I believe Thorne, among other things, was involved in the arms concealment affair in which officers hid away arms to be used in case they would come under occupation. I've read that something like 20 000 finns were sentenced after the war for preparing for preparing for guerilla warfare.

Other notable finns who were involved in the arms affair and later on were forced to move were Colonel Aito Keravuori, US Army Special Forces and Colonel Alpo Marttinen, US Army. I believe there were 21 men in the group called "Marttinen's men" who ended up in USA. Ten were officers, seven of whom retired as US Army Colonels. When I find the time I will try to make a big post with more info on all these gentlemen.

Aito Keravuori died in 1998. Before his death, the officers involved in the arms concealment affair got an official recognition of sorts from Finland for their action: in February 1992 defence minister Elisabeth Rehn said in a speech that there is no reason to rehabilitate the people involved, because nobody has ever taken their honour away from them. "Those involved in the arms concealment were only doing their duty."

http://www2.hs.fi/english/archive/news.asp?id=20001003IE10

gaijinsamurai

02-20-2007, 05:57 PM

Thanks, Thor.

Well, in my opinion, that makes Larry Thorne a patriot, not a criminal.
He was an incredible soldier, too.

In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC, an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most famous last stands of history. A small force led by King Leonidas of Sparta blocked the only road through which the massive army of Xerxes I could pass. After three days of battle a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks, revealing a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines. Dismissing the rest of the army, King Leonidas stayed behind with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespian volunteers. Though they knew it meant their own deaths, they held their position and secured the retreat of the other Greek forces. The Persians succeeded in taking the pass but sustained heavy losses, extremely disproportionate to those of the Greeks. The fierce resistance of the Spartan-led army offered Athens the invaluable time to prepare for a naval battle that would come to determine the outcome of the war. The subsequent Greek victory in the Battle of Salamis left much of the Persian navy destroyed. Xerxes was forced to flee to Asia and left his army in Greece under Mardonius, who was to meet the Greeks in battle for one last time. The Spartans and other Greek allies assembled at full strength and decisively defeated the Persians in the Battle of Plataea, putting an end to the Greco-Persian War and with that, Persian expansion into Europe.
The performance of the defenders at the battle of Thermopylae is often used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment and good use of terrain to maximize an army's potential, as well as a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. The heroic sacrifice of the Spartans and the Thespians has captured the minds of many throughout the ages and has given birth to many cultural references as a result.

Greek preparations

After the expedition to Greece had got under way, Xerxes sent messengers to all the states offering blandishments if they would submit and asking earth and water from their soil as a token of submission. Many smaller states submitted. The Athenians threw their envoys into a pit, and the Spartans threw theirs into a well, taunting them with the retort, "Dig it out for yourselves."
Support gathered around these two leading states. A congress met at Corinth in late autumn of 481 BC, and a confederate alliance of Greek city-states was formed. It had the power to send envoys asking for assistance and to dispatch troops from the member states to defensive points after joint consultation. There is no evidence that any one state was in charge. Herodotus calls them simply "the Greeks" or "the Greeks who had banded together." The interests of all the states played a part in determining defensive strategy. Nothing else is known about the internal workings of the congress or the discussion during its proceedings.
The Persian army first encountered a joint force of 10,000 Athenian and Spartan hoplites led by Euanetus and Themistocles in the vale of Tempe. Upon hearing this, Xerxes sent the army through the Sarantaporo strait, which was unguarded, and sidestepped them. The hoplites, warned by Alexander I of Macedon, vacated the pass. The allied Greeks judged that the next strategic choke point where the Persian army could be stopped was Thermopylae. They decided to defend it as well as to send a fleet to Artemision, a naval choke point. Xerxes' army was being supplied and supported by sea. Using the fleet they might also have crossed Maliacos bay and outflanked the Greek army again.
The Greek high strategy is confirmed by an oration later in the same century:
But while Greece showed these inclinations [to join the Persians], the Athenians, for their part, embarked in their ships and hastened to the defence of Artemisium; while the Spartans and some of their allies went off to make a stand at Thermopylae, judging that the narrowness of the ground would enable them to secure the passage. Some modern historians, such as Bengtson, claim that the purpose of the land force was to slow down the Persian army while the Persian navy was defeated at sea. Another theory is that the land army was to hold the Persian army in the north for as long as possible, and defeat it through attrition, epidemics, and food deprivation.
Some have argued that the Athenians felt confident of the small force and Leonidas' presence being enough to stop the Persians, otherwise they would have already vacated their city and sent their whole army to Thermopylae. We know of one case in which a small force did stop a larger invading force from the north; in 353 BC/352 BC the Athenians managed to stop the forces of Philip II of Macedon by deploying 5,000 hoplites and 400 horsemen.
Herodotus is quite clear on the subject. He writes:
The force with Leonidas was sent forward by the Spartans in advance of their main body, that the sight of them might encourage the allies to fight, and hinder them from going over to the Medes, as was likely they might have done had they seen that Sparta was backward. They intended presently, when they had celebrated the Carneian Festival, which was what now kept them at home, to leave a garrison in Sparta, and hasten in full force to join the army. The rest of the allies intended to act similarly; for it happened that the Olympic Festival fell exactly at this same period. None of them looked to see the contest at Thermopylae decided so speedily; wherefore they were content to send forward a mere advance guard. Such accordingly were the intentions of the allies.The Spartan king was put in charge of the army at Thermopylae. Of his overlordship Herodotus says only that they especially looked up to him. He was convinced that he was going to certain death, which he would not have been if he had thought the forces given him were adequate for a victory. He selected only men who had fathered sons that were old enough to take over the family responsibilities. Plutarch mentions in his Sayings of Spartan Women that after encouraging her husband before his departure for the battlefield, Gorgo, the wife of Leonidas I asked him what she should do when he had left.

To this he replied:
Marry a good man, and have good children. Another common saying of Spartan Women was:
Come home with your shield or on it, the meaning being that the soldier was to return home either victorious (with his shield) or dead - i.e., carried away from the battlefield (on his shield), rather than fleeing the battle and dropping his shield (as it was too heavy to carry while running).

http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/ClasDram/images/01/MapAegeanSea.jpg

Arrival of the Persians

When the Persian army reached the entrance to Thermopylae, the Greeks instigated a council meeting. The Peloponnesians advised withdrawing to the isthmus and defending only the Peloponnesus there. They knew, of course, that the Persians would have to defeat Athens before they could arrive at the isthmus. The Phocians and Locrians, whose states were located nearby, becoming indignant, advised defending Thermopylae and sending for more help. Leonidas thought it best to adopt their plan.
Meanwhile the Persians entered the pass and sent a mounted scout to reconnoiter. The Greeks allowed him to come up to the camp, observe them and depart. When the scout reported to Xerxes the size of the Greek force, and that the Spartans were indulging in calisthenics and combing their long hair, Xerxes found the reports laughable. Seeking the counsel of a Greek in his employ, Demaratus, he was told that the Spartans were preparing for battle and that it was their custom to adorn their hair beforehand. They were the bravest men in Greece, he said, and they intended to dispute the pass.
Xerxes remained incredulous. According to another account, he did send emissaries to the Greek forces. At first he asked Leonidas to join him and offered him the kingship of all of Greece. Leonidas answered:
If you knew what is good in life, you would abstain from wishing for foreign things. For me it is better to die for Greece than to be monarch over my compatriots. Then Xerxes asked him more forcefully to surrender their arms. To this Leonidas gave his noted answer:
Μολών Λαβέ which means "Come take them". This quote has been repeated by many later generals and politicians, in order to express the Greeks' determination to risk a sacrifice rather than surrender without a fight. It is today the emblem of the Greek First Army Corps.
Greek morale was high. Herodotus wrote that when Dienekes, a Spartan soldier, was informed that Persian arrows would be so numerous as to blot out the sun, he remarked with characteristically laconic prose, "So much the better, we shall fight in the shade." Today Dienekes's phrase is the motto of the Greek 20th Armored Division.
Xerxes waited four days for the Greek force to disperse. On the fifth day he ordered the Medes and the Cissians to take them prisoner and bring them before him.

http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/ClasDram/images/01/thermopylae.jpg

Failure of the frontal assault

Xerxes sent in the Medes at first perhaps because he preferred them for their bravery or perhaps, as Diodorus Siculus suggested, because he wanted them to bear the brunt of the fighting—the Medes had been only recently conquered by the Persians.
The Medes coming up to take the Greeks prisoner soon found themselves in a frontal assault. The Greeks had camped on either side of the rebuilt Phocian wall. The fact that it was guarded shows that the Greeks were using it to establish a reference line for the battle, but they fought in front of it.
Details of the tactics are somewhat scant. The Greeks probably deployed in a phalanx, a wall of overlapping shields and layered spearpoints, spanning the entire width of the pass. Herodotus says that the units for each state were kept together. The Persians, armed with arrows and short spears, could not break through the long spears of the Greek phalanx, nor were their lightly armoured men a match for the superior armour, weaponry and discipline of the Greek hoplites.
And yet there are some indications they did not fight entirely in close formation. They made use of the feint to draw the Medes in, pretending to retreat in disorder only to turn suddenly and attack the pursuing Medes. In this way they killed so many Medes that Xerxes is said to have started up off the seat from which he was watching the battle three times. According to Ctesias the first wave numbered 10,000 soldiers and were commanded by Artap****.
The king then withdrew the Medes. Having taken the measure of the enemy he threw the best troops he had into a second assault: the Immortals, an elite corps of 10,000 men. On his side, Leonidas had arranged a system of relays between the hoplites of the various cities so as to constantly have fresh troops on the front line. Yet in the heat of the battle the units did not get a chance to rotate. Being able to approach the Greek line only in such numbers as the space allowed, the Immortals succeeded no better than the Medes. Xerxes had to withdraw them also. The first day of battle probably ended here.
The assault failed again. The account of the slain gives some indication of why: the wall of bodies must have broken up the Persian line and detracted from their morale. History judges them perhaps too harshly. Climbing over the bodies they could see that they had stepped into a killing machine, but the officers behind prevented them from withdrawing. The king at last stopped the assault and withdrew to his camp, totally perplexed. He now knew that a head-on confrontation against Spartan-led troops in a narrow place was the wrong approach.

http://www.podgallery.com/images/gallery/10497A.jpg

Encirclement of the Greeks

Late on the second day of battle, as the king was pondering what to do next, he received a windfall circumstance: a Malian, named Ephialtes, informed him of a path around Thermopylae and offered to guide them. Ephialtes was motivated by the desire of a reward.
The path led from east of the Persian camp along the ridge of Mt. Anopaea behind the cliffs that flanked the pass. It branched, one path leading to Phocis, and the other down to the Gulf of Malis at Alpenus, first town of Locris. Leonidas had stationed 1,000 Phocian volunteers on the heights to guard this path.
For all their previous indignation and insistence on a defense at Thermopylae, they were not prepared: There were no advance positions, sentinels or patrols. Their first warning of the approach of the Immortals under Hydarnes was the rustling of oak leaves at first light on the third day of the battle. Herodotus says that they "jumped up", suggesting that the Greek force was still asleep, and were "greatly amazed", which no alert unit should have been.
Hydarnes was as amazed to see them hastily arming themselves. He feared that they were Spartans, but was enlightened by Ephialtes. Not wishing to be delayed by an assault, Hydarnes resorted to a tactic that later turned out to be a victorious one: He fired "showers of arrows" at them. The Phocians retreated to the crest of the mountain, there to make a last stand (their story). The Persians branched left to Alpenus. For this act, the name of Ephialtes received a lasting stigma: it means "nightmare" and is synonymous with "traitor" in Greek.

Final stand of the Spartans and Thespians

None of the actions of the Persians was a surprise to Leonidas. From a variety of sources, he was kept apprised of their every move, receiving intelligence of the Persian outflanking movement before first light.
When Leonidas learned that the Phocians had not held, he called a council at dawn. During the council some Greeks argued for withdrawal in the face of the overwhelming Persian advance, while others pledged to stay. After the council, many of the Greek forces did choose to withdraw. Herodotus believed that Leonidas blessed their departure with an order, but he also offered the alternate point of view: that those retreating forces departed without orders. The Spartans had pledged themselves to fight to the death, while the Thebans were held as hostage against their will. However, a contingent of about 700 Thespians, led by general Demophilus, the son of Diadromes, refused to leave with the other Greeks, but cast their lot with the Spartans.
Ostensibly, the Spartans were obeying their oath and following the oracle of Delphi (see below). However, it might also have been a calculated strategy to delay the advance of the Persians and cover the retreat of the Greek army. In fact, with the Persians so close at hand, the decision to stand and fight was probably a tactical requirement, only made more palatable by the oracle.
At dawn Xerxes made libations. He paused to allow the Immortals sufficient time to descend the mountain, and then began his advance.
The Greeks this time sallied forth from the wall to meet them in the wider part of the pass, in an attempt to slaughter as many as they could. They fought with spears until every spear was shattered and then switched to xiphoi (short swords). In this struggle Herodotus tells us that two brothers of Xerxes fell, Abrocomes and Hyperanthes. Leonidas also died in the assault.
Receiving intelligence that Ephialtes and the Immortals were advancing toward the rear, the Greeks withdrew and took a stand on a small hill behind the wall. The Thebans under Leontiades put hands up, but a few were slain before the surrender was accepted. Some of the remaining Greeks were fighting with their hands and teeth. Tearing down part of the wall, Xerxes ordered the hill surrounded and the Persians rained down arrows until the last Greek was dead. Archaeology has confirmed the arrow shower at the end.

http://www.4hoplites.com/AncientGenerals.Hoplites2.jpg

Aftermath

When the body of Leonidas was recovered by the Persians, Xerxes, in a rage at the loss of so many of his soldiers, ordered that the head be cut off, and the body crucified. This was very uncommon for the Persians: they had the habit of treating enemies that fought bravely against them with great honor, as the example of Pytheas captured earlier off Skyros shows. Xerxes was known for his rages, as when he had the Hellespont whipped because it would not obey him.
Xerxes was curious why there were so few Greek fighters at Thermopylae. For this he interrogated some Arcadian prisoners. The answer was that all the other men were participating in the Olympic Games. When Xerxes asked what the prize for the winner was, "An olive-wreath" came the answer. Upon hearing this Tritantaechmes, a Persian general, spontaneously responded by saying to Mardonius. "Good heavens! Mardonius, what kind of men are these against whom you have brought us to fight? Men who do not compete for money, but for honour".
After the departure and defeat of the Persians the Greeks collected their dead and buried them on the hill. A stone lion was erected to commemorate Leonidas. Forty years after the battle Leonidas' body was returned from Thermopylae to Sparta, where he was buried again with full honors and funeral games were held every year.
The simultaneous naval Battle of Artemisium was a draw, whereupon the Athenian navy retreated. The Persians had control of the Aegean Sea and all of Greece as far south as Attica; the Spartans prepared to defend the Isthmus of Corinth and the Peloponnese, while Xerxes sacked Athens, whose inhabitants had already fled to Salamis Island. In September the Greeks defeated the Persians at the naval Battle of Salamis, which led to the rapid retreat of Xerxes. The remaining Persian army, left under the charge of Mardonius, was defeated in the Battle of Plataea by a combined Greek army again led by the Spartans, under the regent Pausanias.

PS: The above described battle is very relevant if you are to see the movie "300".

valtrex

03-26-2007, 06:10 PM

This is what archaeologists have found at Thermopylae:
http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/6048/imagesbo8.jpg

The place even today, is filled with arrowheads.

For this act, the name of Ephialtes received a lasting stigma: it means "nightmare" and is synonymous with "traitor" in Greek

Actually Ephialtes is synonymous only with nightmare (and not traitor) in modern Greek (in ancient Greek it had perhaps this double meaning)

Interesting legends from the Spartan History:

Spartan hoplites wore red tunic and cloak (a legislation proposed by Lycurgus) so that their enemies would never see them bleed

Sparta had two Kings, so that in War times & campaigns the city was never left ungoverned

When the Athenians threatened the Spartans that they should surrender "for if we capture your city, we''ll level it to the ground", the Spartans answered: "If"

Once, an Athenian asked a Spartan: "What is the punishment for the adulterous Spartan wives?". The Spartan answered: "Well, they must sacrifice a bull, who when is standing on the summit of mount Taygetus, he can drink water from the river Eurotas" (which of course is impossible, meaning that the Spartan women never cheat on their husbands)

In the naval battle of Cyzicus (410 BC), the Spartan fleet was completely annihilated by the combined Athenian & Persian fleets. Even the Spartan Admiral (Mindarus) was killed. The Spartans sent this message back to Sparta, which stresses the ol' Spartan calm self-possession (phlegm):
"The ships are gone. Mindarus is dead. Men are hungry. We are at a loss"

I have no clue who this is, what did he do? I would like to know, I'm a military/history buff. thanks

Mr.Flint

04-23-2007, 09:37 PM

I have no clue who this is, what did he do? I would like to know, I'm a military/history buff. thanks
Ilya Muromets is not likely be of much interest to military/ history buffs due to the fact that he is a folklore hero, and likely a fusion of a number of prominent personalities.
The key features of him as a folklore hero are:
Paralysed untill the age of 33.
Herculean strenght
Defender of the peasantry, the poor and the downtrodden
An ascetic.

Chobotok of Murom (11th-12th century), who took the name Ilya when became a monk, is considered the main prototype for Ilya Muromets. A 1988 medical expertise of the body (from the coffin in the photo above) showed that it was indeed a person of extraordinary strength and was 177cm tall. Visible evidence of spine problems and multiple wounds were found, death was caused by either a sword or spear thrust into the chest.

jagermeister

04-24-2007, 02:38 AM

Franklin D. Miller.

http://members.cox.net/rlhtribute/miller.htm

With out a doubt, he was amazing. The **** he pulled off in his days was on a diffrent level of elite.

Dardanius

05-09-2007, 11:57 PM

Born in Sinë (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sin%C3%AB&action=edit), Dibër (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dib%C3%ABr), Skanderbeg was a descendant of the Kastrioti family, who were one of the principal families in what was then called Arbëria (today Albania).
According to Gibbon,[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-gibbon) Skanderbeg's father, Gjon Kastrioti, was a hereditary prince of a small district of Epirus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus_%28region%29) that included Mat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mat_District), Krujë (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kruj%C3%AB), Mirditë (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirdit%C3%AB) and Dibër (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dib%C3%ABr).[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-jacques) His mother Vojsava was a princess[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Barleti) from the Tribalda family,[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-paganel) (who came from the Pollog valley, in modern-day Macedonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Macedonia)), or from the old noble Muzaka family. [7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-0) Gjon Kastrioti was among those who opposed[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Tennent1845) the early incursion of Ottoman Bayezid I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayezid_I), however his resistance was ineffectual. The Sultan, having accepted his submissions, obliged him to pay tribute and to ensure the fidelity of local rulers, George Kastrioti and his three brothers were taken by the Sultan to his court as hostages. After his conversion to Islam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam),[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-1) he attended military school in Edirne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edirne) and led many battles for the Ottoman Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire) to victory. For his military victories, he received the title Arnavutlu İskender Bey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bey), (Albanian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_language): Skënderbe shqiptari, English (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language): Prince Alexander, the Albanian) comparing Kastrioti's military brilliance to that of Alexander the Great (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great).
He earned distinction as an officer in several Ottoman campaigns both in Asia Minor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Minor) and in Europe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe), and the Sultan appointed him to the rank of General by giving him a cavalry force of 5,000 men. Skanderbeg maintained secret links with Ragusa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ragusa), Venice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venice), Ladislaus V (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladislaus_Posthumus_of_Bohemia_and_Hungary) of Hungary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hungary), and Alfonso I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_V_of_Aragon) of Naples (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Naples). [4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-jacques)

On November 28 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_28), 1443 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1443), Skanderbeg saw his opportunity to rebel during a battle against the Hungarians led by John Hunyadi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hunyadi) in Niš (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ni%C5%A1). He switched sides along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army. After a long trek to Albania he eventually captured Krujë by forging a letter[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Tennent1845) from the Sultan to the Governor of Krujë, which granted him control of the territory. After capturing the castle, Skanderbeg[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-gibbon) abjured the Prophet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad) and the Sultan, and proclaimed himself the avenger of his family and country. He raised his standard (that later became the Albanian flag (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Albania)) above the castle and reportedly ****ounced: "It wasn't me who brought you freedom, I found it here, among you." Skanderbeg allied with George Arianite [10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Fine1994)(born Gjergj Arianit Komneni (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gjergj_Arianit_Komneni)) and married his daughter Andronike (born Marina Donika Arianiti).[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Cenni_storici_sull.27Albania)
Following the capture of Krujë, Skanderbeg managed to bring together all the Albanian princes in the town of Lezhë (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lezh%C3%AB)[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-jensen) (see League of Lezhë (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Lezh%C3%AB), 1444 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1444)). Gibbon[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-gibbon) reports that the "Albanians, a martial race, were unanimous to live and die with their hereditary prince" and that "in the assembly of the states of Epirus, Skanderbeg was elected general of the Turkish war and each of the allies engaged to furnish his respective proportion of men and money". With this support, Skanderbeg built fortresses and organized a mobile defense force that forced the Ottomans to disperse their troops, leaving them vulnerable to the hit-and-run tactics of the Albanians.[13] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Stavrianos) Skanderbeg fought a guerrilla war (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare) against the opposing armies by using the mountainous terrain to his advantage. Skanderbeg continued his resistance against the Ottoman forces until his death, with a force rarely exceeding 20,000.
Although it is commonly believed that Skanderbeg took part in the Second Battle of Kosovo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovo_%281448%29) in 1448 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1448), he actually never arrived. He and his army were en route to reinforce the mainly Hungarian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magyars) army of John Hunyadi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hunyadi), but the Albanians were intercepted and were not allowed passage by Đurađ Branković (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%90ura%C4%91_Brankovi%C4%87) of Serbia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbia) as he had agreed that while he would aid Skanderbeg against the Venetians, he would not against the Turks. About the time of the battle, Mehmed II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmed_II) also launched an invasion into Albania in order to keep Skanderbeg busy. Although Hunyadi was defeated in the campaign, Hungary successfully resisted and defeated the Ottoman campaigns during Hunyadi's lifetime.[citation needed] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)
In June 1450 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1450), an Ottoman army numbering approximately 150,000 men[citation needed] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources) led by Sultan Murad II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murad_II) himself laid siege to Krujë. Leaving a protective garrison of 1,500 men under one of his most trusted lieutenants, Vrana Konti (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vrana_Konti&action=edit) (also know as Kont Urani (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kont_Urani&action=edit)), Skanderbeg harassed the Ottoman camps around Krujë and attacked the supply caravans of the sultan's army. By September the Ottoman camp was in disarray as morale sank and disease ran rampant. Murad II acknowledged the castle of Krujë would not fall by strength of arms, and he lifted the siege and made his way to Edirne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edirne). Soon thereafter in the winter of 1450 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1450)-51 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1451), Murad died in Edirne and was succeeded by his son Mehmed II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmed_II).
For the next five years Albania was allowed some respite as the new sultan set out to conquer the last vestiges of the Byzantine Empire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire). Christianity in the Balkans was dealt an almost fatal blow when the Byzantine Empire was extinguished after the Fall of Constantinople (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinople) in 1453 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1453). The first real test between the armies of the new sultan and Skanderbeg came in 1455 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1455) during the Siege of Berat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Berat), and would end in the most disastrous defeat Skanderbeg would suffer. Skanderbeg had sieged the town's castle for months, causing the demoralized Turkish officer in charge of the castle to promise his surrender. At that point Skanderbeg relaxed the grip, split his forces and left the siege location. He left behind one of his generals and half of his cavalry at the bank of the river Osam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osam) to finalize the surrender. It would be a costly error.
The Ottomans saw this moment as an opportunity for attack. They sent a large cavalry force from Kosovo Polje (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo_Polje) to Berat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berat) as reinforcements. The Albanian forces had become overconfident and had been lulled into a false sense of security. The Ottomans caught the Albanian cavalry by surprise while they were resting in the shores of the Osam. Almost all the 5,000 Albanian cavalry laying siege to Berat were massacred. When Skanderbeg made it to the battlefield, everything was over; the Ottoman cavalry had already left for Anatolia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia). A reason of this defeat of Skanderbeg's army, was the betrayal of his nephew, Hamza Kastrioti who was an officer of Skanderbeg's cavalry that passed on the Ottoman side with other Albanian forces and gave the Ottomans important information about the location and the organization of the Albanian troops. Later Hamza Kastrioti was captured in the battlefield by Skanderbeg himself, and imprisoned in the castle of Krujë.[citation needed] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)
In 1457 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1457), an Ottoman army numbering approximately 80,000 men[citation needed] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources) invaded Albania with the hope of destroying Albanian resistance once and for all; this army was led by Isa beg Evrenoz (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Isa_beg_Evrenoz&action=edit), one of the only commanders to have defeated Skanderbeg in battle, and Hamza Kastrioti (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hamza_Kastrioti&action=edit), Skanderbeg’s nephew. After wreaking much damage to the countryside[citation needed] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources), the Ottoman army set up camp at the Ujebardha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujebardha) field (literally translated as "Whitewater"), halfway between Lezhë and Krujë. After having evaded the enemy for months, Skanderbeg attacked there and defeated the Ottomans in September.
In 1461 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1461) the Sultan proposed[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Tennent1845) terms of accommodation with Skanderbeg and a peace was concluded between them on June 22. In the same year, Skanderbeg launched a successful campaign[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-jensen) against the Angevin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angevin) noblemen and their allies who sought to destabilize King Ferdinand I of Naples (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_I_of_Naples). For his services[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-cwe1876) he gained the title of Duke of San Pietro in the kingdom of Naples (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Naples). After securing the Neapolitan kingdom, a crucial ally in his struggle, he returned home. In 1464 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1464) Skanderbeg fought and defeated Ballaban Badera (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballaban_Badera), an Albanian renegade who had captured a large number of Illyrian army commanders,[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-musachi) including Moisi Arianit Golemi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moisi_Arianit_Golemi), a cavalry commander; Vladan Giurica (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vladan_Giurica&action=edit), the chief army quartermaster; Muzaka of Angelina (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Muzaka_of_Angelina&action=edit), a nephew of Skanderbeg, and 18 other noblemen and army captains. These men were sent immediately to Istanbul (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul) and tortured for fifteen days.[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-musachi) Skanderbeg’s pleas to have these men back, by either ransom or prisoner exchange, failed.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Skenderbeu.jpg/180px-Skenderbeu.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Skenderbeu.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Skenderbeu.jpg)
Portrait of Skanderbeg in the Uffizi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffizi), Florence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence).

In 1466 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1466) Sultan Mehmed II personally led an army into Illyria and laid siege to Krujë as his father had attempted sixteen years earlier. The town was defended by a garrison of 4,400 men, led by Prince T****h Topia (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T****h_Topia&action=edit). After several months, Mehmed, like Murad II, saw that seizing Krujë by force of arms was impossible for him to accomplish. Shamed, he left the siege to return to Istanbul. However, he left a force of 40,000 men under Ballaban Pasha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballaban_Pasha) to maintain the siege, even building a castle in central Albania, which he named El-basan (the modern Elbasan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbasan)), to support the siege. Durrës would be the next target of the sultan, in order to be used as a strong base opposite the Italian coast.[16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenderbeu#_note-Babinger) The second siege of Kruja was eventually broken by Skanderbeg, resulting in the death of Ballaban Pasha from firearms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm).
A few months later in 1467 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1467), Mehmed, frustrated by his inability to subdue Albania, again led the largest army of its time into Illyria. Krujë was besieged for a third time, but on a much grander scale. While a contingent kept the city and its forces pinned down, Ottoman armies came pouring in from Bosnia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnia_Province%2C_Ottoman_Empire), Serbia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbia), Macedonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_%28region%29), and Epirus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus_%28region%29) with the aim of keeping the whole country surrounded, thereby strangling Skanderbeg’s supply routes and limiting his mobility. During this conflict, Skanderbeg fell ill with malaria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria) in the Venetian-controlled city of Lezhë, and died on January 17 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_17), 1468 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1468), just as the army under the leadership of Leke Dukagjini (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leke_Dukagjini) defeated the Ottoman force in Shkodër (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shkod%C3%ABr).

Stanisław Skalski (November 27, 1915 – November 12, 2004) was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II and general.

Stanisław Skalski was born on 27 October 1915 in Kodyma near Odessa, Russian Empire. After completing Pilot Training School in 1938, Skalski was ordered to the 142nd Fighter Squadron in Torun. On 1 September 1939 he attacked a German Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance aircraft, eventually shot down by Marian Pisarek, and then landed next to it and helped to bandage a crew. By 16 September Skalski reached "ace" status, by claiming a total of 6 German aircraft: 1 Ju 86, 2 Do 17, 1 Ju 87, 2 Hs 126 and 1 Hs 126 shared (official list credits him with 4 aircraft: 2 Dornier Do 17, 1 Hs 126, 1 Ju 87 and 1 Hs 126 shared). Soon after he fled the country with other Polish pilots to Rumania, and from there via Beirut to France , and after went on to fight with the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Britain.

In August 1940, P/O Skalski joined No. 501 Squadron RAF. From 30 August to 2 September 1940 he shot down a He 111 bomber and 3 Bf 109s. On 5 September 1940 Skalski himself was shot down[1]. Skalski bailed out with severe burns that hospitalised him for six weeks. He returned to his unit in late October 1940. During the Battle of Britain, Skalski was credited with four planes shot down and 1 shared.

In January 1941 he was assigned to the Polish No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron, flying in Circuss[2] missions over France. On 1 March 1942 he became a flight commander in No. 316 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 29 April 1942 F/Lt. Skalski was made Commanding Officer of the No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron for five months. From November 1942 he was an instructor in No. 58 Operation Training Unit.

In October 1943 he was given command of the Polish Fighting Team (PFT), or so called "Cyrk Skalskiego" (Skalski's Circus) - a Squadron consisting of best Polish fighter pilots selected from volunteers. The Poles arrived at Bu Grara airfield, west of Tripoli in March 1943. They at first were attached to No. 145 Squadron RAF. The PFT took part in actions in Tripolitania and in Sicily.

On 6 May 1943, the "Skalski Circus" fought its last combat. During its two months on operations, the Polish pilots had claimed a total of 26 German and Italian aircraft shot down. [{Flight Leader|F/L]] Skalski scored 4 aircraft, and P/O Eugeniusz Horbaczewski claimed 5 confirmed victories.

Skalski then became commander of No. 601 (County of London) Squadron RAF, taking part in the invasion of Sicily and invasion of Italy. From December 1943 to April 1944, W/C Skalski commanded 131 Fighter Wing (Polish). On 4 April 1944 he was appointed commander of the another Polish Fighter Wing; No. 133. On 24 June 1944 Skalski scored two air victories over Rouen.

Stanisław Skalski was the top Polish fighter ace of WW II, credited, according to official list, with 18 11/12 victories and 2 probable. Some sources give also a number of 22 victories. After the war he returned to Poland in 1947 and joined the Polish aviation. In 1948 however he was arrested by the communist regime under the false charge of espionage. Sentenced to death, he spent 3 years awaiting the execution, after which his sentence was changed to life imprisonment. After the end of Stalinism in Poland, in 1956 he was released, rehabilitated, and allowed to join the military. He served at various posts in the Headquarters of the Polish Air Forces. He wrote memoires of the 1939 campaign Czarne krzyże nad Polską ("Black crosses over Poland", 1957). On May 20, 1968 he was nominated the secretary general of the Aeroklub Polski and on April 10, 1972 he retired. On September 15, 1988, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. In 1990 he met with the German pilot he had rescued on the first day of war. Stanisław Skalski died in Warsaw on November 12, 2004.

Sir William Fenwick Williams, 1st Baronet GCB (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath) (December 4 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_4), 1800 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1800) – July 26 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_26), 1883 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883)) was a British military leader (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership) of the Victorian era (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_era). He was born in Annapolis, Nova Scotia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis%2C_Nova_Scotia), the second son of Commissary-General Thomas Williams, barrack-master at Halifax (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax%2C_Nova_Scotia), Nova Scotia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Scotia), Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada).
He entered the Royal Artillery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Artillery) as second lieutenant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_lieutenant) in 1825 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1825). His services were lent to Turkey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey) in 1841 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1841), and he was employed as a captain in the arsenal at Constantinople (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople). He was British commissioner in the conferences preceding the treaty of Erzerum (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Treaty_of_Erzerum&action=edit) in 1847 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1847), and again in the settlement of the Turko-Persian (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Turko-Persian&action=edit) boundary in 1848 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1848) (brevet majority and lieutenant-colonelcy and CB). Promoted colonel, he was British commissioner with the Turkish army in Anatolia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia) in the Russian War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_War) of 1854–56, and, having been made a ferik (lieutenant-general) and a pasha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasha), he practically commanded the Turks during the heroic defence of Kars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kars), repulsing several Russian attacks and severely defeating the Russian general Muraviev (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikolay_Nikolaievich_Muraviev-Karsky&action=edit) in the siege of Kars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Kars) (not to be confused with the Battle of Kars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kars)) on September 29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_29), 1855 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1855). Cold, cholera (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera), famine and hopelessness of succour from without, however, compelled Williams to make an honourable capitulation on November 28 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_28) following.
A baronetcy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baronet) with pension for life, the KCB (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath), the grand cross of the Legion of Honour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Honour) and of the Turkish Medjidie, the freedom of the City of London (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_City_of_London) with a sword of honour, and the honorary degree of |DCL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Civil_Law) of Oxford University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University), were the distinctions conferred upon him for his valour.
Promoted major-general in November 1855 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1855) on his return from captivity in Russia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia), he held the Woolwich command, and represented the borough of Calne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calne) in parliament from 1856 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1856) to 1859 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1859).
From 1859 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1859) to 1864 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1864) he held the position of Commander in Chief, North America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_in_Chief%2C_North_America), and was responsible for preparations for war with the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) in the case that relations broke down. The mosts severe strain in relations occurring during the Trent Affair (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Affair).
He became lieutenant-general and colonel-commandant Royal Artillery in 1864, general in 1868, commanded the forces in Canada from 1859 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1859) to 1865 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1865), held the governorship of Nova Scotia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Scotia) 1865 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1865)-1867 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1867), and the governorship of Gibraltar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar) 1870 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1870)-1876 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1876). He was made GCB (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath) in 1871 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1871), and Constable of the Tower of London (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable_of_the_Tower_of_London) in 1881 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1881). He died in London on 26 July (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_26) 1883 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883).

Oneto15

05-10-2007, 04:42 PM

Anders Frederik Emil Victor Schau Lassen VC, MC & 2 BARS

http://www.geocities.com/armdury/anderslassen.jpg

Major Anders Lassen, V.C., M.C.

Anders Frederik Emil Victor Schau Lassen, born at "Hoevdingsgaard" on 22nd of September 1920 as the son of Captain Emil Victor Lassen (esq.) and Suzanne Maria Signe Lassen, born Raben-Levetzau.

Anders Lassen went to the boarding school "Herlufsholm" and graduated in 1935. He left Denmark in 1938 to become a sailor and an apprentice in the merchant navy. April 1940 to January 1941 he was a gunner at M/S "Leonora Maersk" sailing on the British supply routes. For this duty he was after his death awarded "The Atlantic Star", which is very rarely given to army officers. Joined the British Army in 1940 as a private in The Buffs. Joined the British Commandos in February 1941. Promoted to 2nd Lt. 20th of May 1942, to 1st Lt. 20th of November 1942, to Captain 13th of September 1943 and to Major on 9th of October 1944. Killed in action on 9th of April 1945 in Commachio, Italy, while single handed attacking and destroying three German pillboxes. He was 24 years old. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross as the only non-British Empire soldier in World War 2.

During his service he fought in North Africa as member of the Small Scale Raiding Force, in The Aegean Sea and Italy as member of D Squadron 1st Special Air Service Regiment as a part of The Special Boat Squadron.

Major Anders Lassen's decorations include The Victoria Cross, 3 Military Crosses, King Christian the 10th Memorial Medal, The 1939-45 Star, The Atlantic Star, The Africa Star, The Italy Star, The British Victory Medal and the Greek Sacred Legion, some of them awarded posthumously

http://www.geocities.com/armdury/anderslassen.htm

For those wishing to read the full story of this remarkable man, I can highly recommend ANDERS LASSEN VC by Mike Langley.

k98_man

05-13-2007, 09:28 PM

While he was never famous here is an excerpt from a favorite friend of mine.

His biography is rather long and can be viewed here. In short he was in the German Wehrmacht during World War II in Großdeutschland as a Panzer gunner.

http://feldgrau.com/interview6.html

gaijinsamurai

05-14-2007, 03:19 AM

Is this the same "k-98 man" from Werhmacht-awards.com"?

gaijinsamurai

05-14-2007, 03:21 AM

Is this the same "k-98 man" from Werhmacht-awards.com"?

k98_man

05-14-2007, 06:57 PM

Is this the same "k-98 man" from Werhmacht-awards.com"?

You got yourself a match. :)

Who would you be?

USMC Poolee

05-14-2007, 10:41 PM

Is this the same "k-98 man" from Werhmacht-awards.com"?

what did he do exactly? was he a marksman or something?
dont have the time to read that whole article right now

k98_man

05-14-2007, 10:44 PM

He was a gunner in the Fuhrer Escort Battalion. Certain time at the Wolf's lair in guard duty and other time spent on front lines in his tank. He was the gunner on the eastern front and his unit moved to the Ardennes for the battle of the bulge. He was wounded too bad in Latvia so did not take part in fighting.

gaijinsamurai

05-14-2007, 11:16 PM

Very interesting story. Even though he was no Rommel or Rudel, his tale is unique and fascinating. Thanks for sharing, K-98 man!

PS: Sorry for the double post!

USMC Poolee

05-15-2007, 04:49 PM

He was a gunner in the Fuhrer Escort Battalion. Certain time at the Wolf's lair in guard duty and other time spent on front lines in his tank. He was the gunner on the eastern front and his unit moved to the Ardennes for the battle of the bulge. He was wounded too bad in Latvia so did not take part in fighting.

damn i just noticed your name is k98 man, i taught the German guy was nicknamed that. :oops:

gaijinsamurai

05-15-2007, 10:36 PM

Are you referring to me? Actually, I'm American (and a former Marine). And by the way, my username is Japanese.

USMC Poolee

05-15-2007, 11:07 PM

Are you referring to me? Actually, I'm American (and a former Marine). And by the way, my username is Japanese.

No sir.

wtf 12345

gaijinsamurai

05-15-2007, 11:42 PM

I thought you were referring to me, because you quoted my post when you replied to K-98 man. No worries! Good luck in Boot Camp!

USMC Poolee

05-16-2007, 06:58 PM

I thought you were referring to me, because you quoted my post when you replied to K-98 man. No worries! Good luck in Boot Camp!

Thank you sir! :)
Rifle Expert badge here I come!

krasnayaarmiya

05-16-2007, 07:38 PM

http://wblrd.sk.ca/%7Ehistory20/unit2/u2IMG/u2s2_4_1.gif

This soldier, I'd say, played the greatest part in history among all soldiers.
Yeah, but he took British bombardments personally when he was on the Western Front. Coo. Coo.

James

05-17-2007, 01:07 AM

I think the greatest soldiers are the regular guys who find their lives interrupted by war, but they go anyway, because it's the right thing to do.

asch

05-17-2007, 01:29 AM

I think the greatest soldiers are the regular guys who find their lives interrupted by war, but they go anyway, because it's the right thing to do.
quoted as truth.

Yarrick2

05-17-2007, 02:00 AM

for me it's a toss up between Jack Churchill for pure personality and every soldier when never came home (in one piece be it physically or mentally).

Weasel

05-17-2007, 05:07 AM

Did I miss Felix Graf von Luckner in this thread?

That´s how war schould be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_von_Luckner

Rittmester

05-17-2007, 07:12 AM

Did I miss Felix Graf von Luckner in this thread?

That´s how war schould be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_von_Luckner

Wow! That was a facinating story. A noble gentleman

dan_pub

05-20-2007, 07:07 AM

Several pages in this thread and nobody has mentioned Moshe Dayan yet?
p-)

Or Itzhak Rabin, or Avigdor Kahalani.

Too busy admiring the deeds of those so great nazis, maybe...

Weasel

05-20-2007, 07:48 AM

:roll:

123456

Müller

05-20-2007, 10:49 PM

Im the greatest one :D

jk, I have no idea haha

k98_man

05-20-2007, 11:15 PM

Several pages in this thread and nobody has mentioned Moshe Dayan yet?
p-)

Or Itzhak Rabin, or Avigdor Kahalani.

Too busy admiring the deeds of those so great nazis, maybe...

:roll:

Yeah that must be it...:roll:

Hans_EGC

05-20-2007, 11:54 PM

If there is somebody who i look up to, its Aleksandr Ilich Rodimtsev The commander of the 13 Guards Division!!, you can read something about him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Rodimtsev

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7964/rodimtsevedited1ve0.jpg

k98_man

05-21-2007, 11:06 PM

Or Chuikov. :)

gaijinsamurai

05-22-2007, 12:33 AM

I'm a fan of Rokossovsky. He just barely survived the 1938 purge.

Nasdaq7

05-22-2007, 09:44 AM

Apart from those 300 Spartans at Thermopylae.

The US “Flying Tigers” under Claire Chennault - 300 Japanese aircraft with a loss of only twelve of their own. A world record at the time. Dec 1941.

But these days it seems that anyone that flies a f-15 strike eagle has a better record.

I am afraid that my telegram of the 26th Febr
“Boy born to-day and Ethel has haemorrhage a
of Thursday I telegraphed urgent to the Searles
come at once from Lahore. The Doctor said she
earliest before Saturday afternoon, nevertheless
About 7 o'clock in the morning of Thursday, 26
words if possible-Everything had gone well. Ab
had been in the house since the 5th February.
- the little chap came into the world in the right

http://members.aol.com/ocwingate/cov1-a.jpg

IMMEDIATE
TO LONDON
NO 427

Personal and Private for Prime Minister from
S.C.67.
A. Deeply regret to inform you that the B.25
WINGATE was travelling from IMPHAL to
crashed in the jungle. A search party has
to identify any of the human remains. It
WINGATE was among the killed as his pe

photo caption
A detachment of SNS setting out near Ein Herod on an exercise. Wingate would lead many patrols himself believing, "One cannot lead people in unortho-
dox directions without showing them how things must be done... Only by personal example."30 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
Photo courtesy of the
Israel Government
Press Office

http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-41.jpg http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/ps.gif
Operations were also growing in scope and possibilities. Due to the small size of the Special Night Squads Haganah units were also used at times in cooperation, coming under Wingate's control for actions. The SNS also provided cover for operations of the force. When the Haganah wished to carry out a certain operation which it was incapable of carrying out, the task was transferred to the Special Night Squads. Both Haganah and police and the more organized Fo'sh units (such as those of Allon & Dayan) worked with the SNS. They learned to operate as military units at all levels, from small squad and platoon size forces to engaging in company size operations. Haganah field companies were harassing the rebels with the methods of the SNS, ambushing them near their bases, patrolling around the clock, launching retaliatory strikes. They were learning to move at night in rough country, launch quick raids, and then rapidly disengage and withdraw. Together the two forces were confidently engaging larger sized forces.
Through the rest of the summer and into autumn, the effectiveness of the SNS continued against hostile bands. Clashes and raids were undertaken at places throughout the hills of the Galilee and at the borders at the behest of the SNS, much of this due to the good intelligence they were receiving. The remnants of the Arab band from Dabburiya were successfully ambushed at Bira (14 dead)2 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) by Bredin, and at the Horns of Hittin King-Clark successfully ambushed an enemy group. Engagements favorable for the SNS kept occurring, such as at the wadi ford Umm Mejadda against arms smugglers, and near the villages of Danna & Khaukab el Hauva against assembling rebel groups. The SNS was keeping the guerillas off-balance and thinking defensively, inflicting heavy casualties. The oil pipeline which was being sabotaged about once every night, remained free from attacks for months in a row. Often times several squads would combine for larger patrols and raids. One example was in early September, at the village of Lid el-Awadin (Khirbet Beit Lid), just west of Afula and south of the pipeline.
Intelligence determined a group of guerillas was encamped on the outskirts of Lid el-Awadin, serving as a base for attacks and arms smuggling. Wingate set a trap to get the Arab force to revel themselves in the open and do battle in daylight. A rumor was spread that Wingate's men at Ein Harod were leaving on a routine patrol, in the direction away from the village. At night vehicles secretly picked the men up and dropped them in a ravine, the trucks never stopping as they drove toward Haifa with the men silently leaping off in the dark. In the morning they crossed the fields and took up positions in a semi-circle around Lid el-Awadin. A truck carrying members of the Jewish Police (including Moshe Dayan) dressed as workers drove into the village, the bait. A group of some of the armed Arabs advanced toward what they thought was the easy target of the truck. Then hidden SNS & Haganah onboard revealed their weapons and opened fire. The gunfire alarmed the rest of the Arabs encamped in the village and they headed for safety away from the gunfire, to the northeast. Here they ran into the ambush set by Wingate. Turning to flee to the southeast they hit another ambush party led by Bredin. Enemy casualties numbered 14 dead (including the gang leader) and others captured from a force of close to 40, with no friendly casualties.3 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) From the dead terrorist leader valuable intelligence was gleaned from papers listing civilian supporters. This and similar actions such at Danna and again at Dabburiya in which several gangs were destroyed were successful in halting attacks. Hostile action in northern Palestine was being reduced to occasional murders, sabotage & mining.
http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-44.jpg http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/ps.gif While Wingate treated ordinary Arab citizens with respect & targeted only known guerillas, there was one exception. In the middle of September the leader of the Ein Harod settlement, Chaim Sturmann, was killed by a land mine. Wingate reacted with his emotions upon hearing the death of his close friend. He immediately ordered SNS men to the Arab village of Beit Shean, which was known to harbor guerillas. Wanting to install in the hearts of the inhabitants' fear of the authorities to help prevent any future actions, Wingate in an uncontrolled fury descended upon the village. Several civilians were killed and some buildings destroyed as he attempted to find the perpetrators. Sturmann and Wingate had often argued over the idea of collective punishment. Sturmann had counseled moderation and cooperation with Arabs, and would argue that punishing an entire village for aiding guerillas or harboring them was wrong and counter-productive. Wingate would argue he wanted villagers who assist guerillas to be more frightened of the SNS and British terror than of guerilla terror. The harsh reality of fighting a guerilla war meant at times the SNS was forced to resort to hard tactics to punish Arab civilians cooperating with the terrorists, and who lived in the vicinity of the punctured pipeline. One SNS member summing up the guerilla war dilemma faced by Wingate and the SNS said, "On the one hand he, demanded that the innocent not be harmed. On the other hand, he knew that he faced a dilemma: can one observe this rule in a battle against gangs which receive assistance from the residents of the villages?"6 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) After Beit Shean Wingate did express regret for his actions there.

photo caption
Wingate at Ein Harod funeral with Moshe Sharrett on his left. Wingate was to admit to him in 1937 he adopted Zionism as a religion. Wrote Sharrett, "He had a passionate & violent affection, yes, his affection was over-
powering."32 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
Photo courtesy of the
Israel Haganah Museum

The Taskmaster

http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-45.jpg Wingate worked at various schemes to increase both the size of his force and Jewish military training. His request for 2 more officers and several more British infantry squads was denied by his superiors. But he gained permission at the end of August to set up an NCO training course at Ein Harod, with the Jewish leadership footing the bill. The Haganah assigned about 100 of its best men.7 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) Among the lectures Wingate gave was on the cause: "Know what you are fighting for and love what you know."8 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) Drilled hard day and night, "The pressure on those in the course was great, but the feeling that they were participating in a heroic venture was something all shared."9 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) Many who passed through there remember Wingate declaring, "We are establishing here the foundation of the Army of Zion...If it fights it will achieve its independence in its land."11 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
Wingate was setting high standards, leading by example of formidable willpower and discipline. Wingate's self-discipline on patrol, his energy in setting and leading actions, and his commitment to the Zionist caused impressed the SNS men as much as his military professionalism. Besides stressing military tactics such as the importance of fire and silence discipline, he stressed that a commander had responsibilities not privileges, and that he was responsible for his men. Said an SNS veteran of him, "Wingate maintained strong discipline, which he did not teach us by military phrases but by personal example and immediate responses...If you would take something with you that interfered with the battle, you would be punished. If there was no bullet in the rifle barrel, you would be punished. If you kicked a stone, you would be punished. If you fired without being ordered to do so, that was the worst offense."12 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) It also explained and created a toleration of his harsh physical punishment for grievous errors, as he was also harsh on himself.

photo caption
SNS men training. At the non-commissioned officers training program he set up in September, he cautioned his students about mimicking everything about the professional British army stating, "Learn his discipline and calmness but don't imitate his brutality, stupidity and drunkenness."31 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
Photo courtesy of the
Israel Government
Press Office

photo caption
Zvi Brenner, who served as one of the Jewish officers in an SNS platoon and later as Wingate's bodyguard. Brenner was not too pleased to be assigned as bodyguard, knowing Wingate when driving liked to have one hand on the wheel and with the other hand hold a loaded rifle.
Photo courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, London

http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-43.jpg http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/ps.gif This was discipline which he rigidly enforced with verbal and physical punishment. Response to a breach in the iron discipline he demanded was quick and decisive. Once, a patrol was returning up the side of a wadi to its trucks, thirsty and tired. The first man up was a British officer and started to drink water. Wingate rebuked him, telling him that in the future he was to ensure his men drank first. Then he was ordered by Wingate to go down the wadi and climb up again. On one patrol as it was moving up a hill a stone started rolling down, and with this break in silence Wingate halted movement. He asked who the commander was, and when the man approached him he slapped him. Out on patrol one night, the oldest man who was a founder of Ein Harod kibbutz opened fire on a suspicious shadow without thinking. Wingate when over to him and grabbed him by the cheek, saying to the man in Hebrew, "Why without and order? Why without an order?"13 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) His willingness to sacrifice for their cause, his boundless energy and professionalism he was creating fostered respect despite such actions. He would not only endure the hardships of patrols but afterwards would not hesitate to admit if he made a mistake, "He wanted to know whether, had we done this or that in a different way, we would have achieved more. In reality, that was self-criticism and criticism of the unit."14 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
The constant high tempo he had kept up over the months with the hard work and the stress of combat finally caught up to him. After the action at Beit Lid, Wingate was overcome with mental and physical exhaustion. After reporting the action his old leg wound opened up. After bandaging this up, he went to Brigadier Evetts with some of the intelligence collected. While discussing this information, http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-42.jpg he collapsed and had to spend some time on a couch. Success also resulted in a bounty being placed on Wingate's head by the guerillas. One thousand British Pounds (a considerable sum back then) was offered for Wingate's death by an Arab guerilla leader. Wingate argued with the Haganah leadership about traveling with bodyguards, and in the end agreed to take on a single bodyguard. The Haganah assigned Zvi Brenner to be Wingate's bodyguard. Once in Haifa Wingate was staying at Wilenski's house after a night patrol. Traveling in his car the next day during the daylight an Arab threw a grenade into it, but it failed to explode. Back at the house, "He suffered a reaction which left him hardly able to move and in the throes of a trembling fit."15 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)

Closing Actions

In Fall of 1938 the violence beginning to pick up again. Raids against police posts and roads and government administrative buildings increased. The army temporarily lost control of several urban areas including the Old City of Jerusalem for a week. In late September General Haining reported to London that regarding the situation in the north, "The situation was such that civil administration and control of the country was, to all practical purposes, non-existent."16 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) October saw the beginning of an increase in terrorism with 188 people being killed by Arab terrorist.17 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) That month the Jewish population of the town of Tiberias along the Sea of Galilee was targeted. A massacre of civilians including children took place on the 2nd of the month as group of rebels infiltrated into the Jewish quarter. The British battalion stationed in the town was scattered for the weekend and did not intervene, many remaining pinned down in their barracks and taking cover in the streets. Dead civilian bodies were burnt, the attackers then taking to looting and drinking.

photo caption
Captured rebel arms. Appreciating Wingate's success, General Haining didn't appreciate his subordinate's independence when it came to obeying orders & supplying information. He once considered his dismissal stating, "Here is a fellow Wingate who makes no secret of the fact that he only obeys orders which suit him."33 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
Photo courtesy of the
Imperial War Museum, London

Wingate was out with a small SNS force nearby that night setting an ambush and heard the news. He took a handful of men with him to Tiberias to set an ambush for the Arab raiders on the road leading west out of town. The road leading out steeply climbs and backtracks along a hill, and here Wingate and his men waited. He struck the retiring Arab force, and the action was followed up by an attack of a Fo'sh company led by Allon. Together they inflicted around 40-50 casualties, out of some estimated 70 attackers.18 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) The Bitish military commander of the Middle East, General Ironside, happened to be in the country. He quickly rushed to the scene. The poor performance of the British battalion and his sacking of its commander, and the death and destruction put him in a foul mood. At the top of the hill outside Tiberias he encountered the bearded Wingate in his pith helmet. "And who are you?" he demanded of him. "I'm Wingate," came the firm reply back.19 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) Listening to his accomplishments, and contrasting his work with the ineffective British effort, Wingate fostered a lasting impression upon the general.
http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-661.jpg http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/ps.gif The next day pursuit of a terrorist band ended in success at Mount Tabor. On the way back to Nazareth Wingate recognized several guerilla leaders traveling in a passing taxi. With the nearby SNS platoon led by Bredin they chased it to Dabburiya where the remnant of the guerilla group had taken refuge. Wingate and some men fought their way into Dabburiya and collected 15 enemy dead.20 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) Bredin and the rest of his platoon followed some escapees up Mount Tabor, encountering resistance and exchanging gunfire around the Benedictine monastery. Contact was hurriedly sent to a local RAF squadron. Several aircraft eventually appeared but with the inability to tell friend from foe they proceeded to bomb and strafe the SNS men, fortunately with no casualties. This action was to be Wingate's last in command of the SNS.

An Inglorious End

His pro-Zionism and involvement in the the politics of the Zionist cause finally reached the limit his superiors would tolerate. In November he took leave to travel to England. He met with Ben-Gurion and Weizmann to discuss ways of influencing British decision-makers on favorable schemes of partition. His suggestions were often less than diplomatic, causing Weizmann to later write "Much as I admired and loved Wingate I did not think that his diplomatic activities in any way matched his military performance or his personal integrity."24 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) Wingate testified before a commission examining partition and spoke favorably about the value of a Jewish state and of his reasons for doing so, "Nowadays people seem to imagine that impartiality means readiness to treat lies and truth the same, readiness to hold white as bad as black and black as good as white...I believe that righteousness exalteth a nation and righteousness does not mean playing off one side against the other while you guard your own interests."23 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) He also spoke to a cabinet minister and newspaper editors on how the Jews were the only reliable force in the region Britain could rely upon. For these actions he was ordered back to Palestine, his military superiors angry at this breach of military protocol and political partisanship. When he returned he was removed from command of the SNS and was transfered to staff intelligence duties in Jerusalem.

photo caption
SNS unit members pose for a photograph. Divisional commander General Bernard Montgomery promised to award decorations to the men who served in the SNS, but nothing was done. Bredin, Grove, and King-Clark would all go on to serve during WWII and achieve higher rank.
Photo courtesy of the Israel Haganah Museum

By early 1939 the violence was becoming more manageable again thanks to the SNS, Haganah Plugot Sadeh, and British forces. These forces were having a serious impact upon the Arab rebels, and they were forced to split into smaller units and resort to sniping and terrorism. With the Munich Agreement in Europe, British troop strength was doubled to 20 infantry and cavalry battalions.26 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) General Haining stationed troops in some Arab villages, denying their population to the rebels and protecting helpful villagers and the surrounding territory. A fence was installed along the border with French Lebanon and patrolled. Large sweeps of population centers, more arrests and executions, and strict movement and economic controls were instituted. More Arab civilians began to provide information on rebels and arms locations. War in Europe was on the horizon, and looking for all strategic advantages to defend the region and route through the Suez, and to remove commitments to a people they viewed as a nuisance, Britain moved to limit Arab hostility and Jewish power. The Foreign Secretary warned against employment of the SNS, "on general grounds of avoiding any action which might give the impression in neighboring countries that Jewish troops are henceforth to be used for offensive purposes."27 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes) This meant closing the camp at Ein Harod in December. http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/pal-46.jpg Starting in January of 1939, British soldiers began fill all the ranks of the SNS (now under the command of Bredin), and it moved to the northern border. By March the unit was all-British and operations were wound down by the summer. And in keeping with this policy, General Haining decided to transfer a non-neutral Wingate out. In May Captain Wingate's orders came transferring him to England.
Wingate was granted permission to say goodbye. The Haganah leaders and men were sad to see "HaYedid" leave. He met with his men and friends to say goodbye and offer some advice and hope for the future. At one kibbutz a farewell was held for him. Upon his entry he was met with applause. He gave a speech saying war with Nazi Germany was imminent and that afterwards there would be a war for Jewish independence that the Jews would win. He urged a more aggressive policy but cautioned against using violence directly against the British authorities. At the end of another farewell party he raised his right hand. Pledging that someday he would return to an independent Jewish homeland, he recited the Biblical verse from the Psalms, "If I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right arm forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."29 (http://members.aol.com/ordewingate/israelD.html#footnotes)
http://members.aol.com/Ocwingate/bur-a.jpg
His was a complex character, but two things are sure. First, he was a military genius of a grandeur and stature seen not more than once or twice this century. Secondly, no other officer I have heard of, could have dreamed the dream, planned the plan, obtained, trained, inspired and led the force. There are men who shine at planning, or at training, or at leading; here was a man who excelled at all three, and
whose vision at the council table
matched his genius in the field."
- Bernard Fergusson

VG

gaijinsamurai

05-26-2007, 12:51 AM

Thanks, Viejogolanchik! Orde Wingate was a unique individual. If he had survived the war, I can imagine him playing a part in the Malay counterinsurgency, or possibly helping the Israelis.

krasnayaarmiya

05-26-2007, 01:49 AM

Colonel David Hackworth

Loki77

05-26-2007, 02:50 AM

In my opinion The Greatest Soldiers are World War I aviators. WWI aviators were seen as more than soldiers, they were the Knights of the sky. Because during WWI, airplanes were still a novelty and untested in war.

Holds the still-standing record for being the oldest man ever to fly alone into combat. In 1943, on Guadalcanal, after hearing his pilots complain about the poor conditions, he jumped into an SBD-3 dive bomber, and bombed the Japanese supply dump at Visalia. No gunner, and no escort.
Aged 57 at the time.

Became the first Marine to lead an Army.
Took over Tenth Army upon the death of Lt Gen Simon B Buckner, jr.
Okinawa.

gaijinsamurai

05-26-2007, 03:03 AM

Good choice, Partial Panel.
By the way, nice to see another Oregon Marine (besides Hollis!) on this forum.
S/F.

Partial_Panel

05-26-2007, 03:15 AM

Good choice, Partial Panel.
By the way, nice to see another Oregon Marine (besides Hollis!) on this forum.
S/F.

At the risk of being branded a Heretic, and burned at the stake: I would almost rank "Jiggs" Geiger above ol' Chesty in the Corps' Pantheon.
I don't believe in Hero-Worship, but he's close for me.

(seems to be quite a few Oreganos around here!)

gaijinsamurai

05-26-2007, 03:52 AM

I guess I never really had "a favorite Marine", although throughout the years, I have admired many of the Old Corps heroes: Mike Edson, Pappy Boyington, David Shoup, Howlin' Mad Smith, Carlos Hathcock, and of course, Chesty.
I wish I could remember his name, but there was a particular Marine who served in the OSS during WWII. He had a Spanish last name, and if I recall correctly, had a very remarkable career.

gaijinsamurai

05-27-2007, 04:46 PM

^ Col. Peter Ortiz. Served in US Marine Corps, French Foreign Legion, and OSS. Fluent in French, Spanish, Arabic, German, and of course, English.

Partial_Panel

05-27-2007, 07:35 PM

^ Col. Peter Ortiz. Served in US Marine Corps, French Foreign Legion, and OSS. Fluent in French, Spanish, Arabic, German, and of course, English.

Damn. Learn something new everyday. I'd never heard of him. I knew the actor, Robert Ryan served in the Corps, and the OSS in Yugoslavia, but that's it.
Of course, being an airdale myself, I always payed more attention to the aviators. I have a number of books on the subject, including my favorite:
Robert Sherrods' History of Marine Corps Aviation in WW11.

"Adolf Ehrnrooth is the face and voice most associated with rehabilitation of the fighters who secured Finland its independence. The long era during which it simply was not progressive to value the military ended in the early 1990s, at which time his charismatic persona was at its height. He became a figurehead for the whole veteran community—straight-talking and unapologetic. When he found out that many nationalist youths cited him as an idol, he blasted them squarely by saying that he might have in his own youth held nationalistic views, but that Finland's path was now in the European Union (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union), a view the nationalists did not hold."

Well, the greatest military to me is a French one. Capitaine (later squadron leader) Christian Prouteau, fouder and first commander (1973-1982) of the elite French unit GIGN, one of the best CT unit of the world. The unit freed over 1300 hostages under his command. He commanded 64 GIGN ops on 67 accomplished when he was commander, including several overseas (Djibouti 1976 : 30 kids hostages freed), sometimes under cover (Salvador 1979, French embassy personnel freed and terrorists surrendered before a planned assault). He was badly hurt in october 1980 by deranged person armed with a shotgun, hit in head, throat and shoulders by 54 buckshots (a month later he was present at the 7th anniversary of the GIGN, singing and playing guitar). His request to a support unit for abroad ops led to the specialization of the EPIGN in such a role and others in 1984. In 1981, he was ask to create a new unit to ensure presidential protection : the GSPR (GIGN, EPIGN and GSPR are still the three special units of French gendarmerie). He refused to command the unit and asked to come back in command of the GIGN, but he was asked to create an "anti-terrorism cell" coordinating CT for all French services. He commanded it but the ill-fated "anti-terrorism cell" was soon disactivated. Named Prefect, as well as gendarmerie Lieutenant Colonel and later colonel. Asked to command security during the 1992 Albertville olypic games.

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4797/photo010pl4.jpg
Here a GIGN training with French .357 Magnum Manurhin MR-73 revolvers in late 1970s or early 1980s. Squadron leader Prouteau is on the right.

No-one quoted Bull Simons, **** Meadows nor Charles Beckwith ?

Bull Simons : WWII 6th Ranger Btn. Later : SF. Commander of a White Star team in Laos early 1960s. Commanded several SF ops during Vietnam War. Led the Son Tay raid in 1970 at over 50 yrs old. Retired. Led a private rescue mission in Iran in 1978-1979 to free to Americans at over 60. Died some monthes later.

**** Meadows : fought in Korea. Joined SF. Participated to the first SF-SAS exchange in the early 1960s. Joined MACV-SOG. Led the assault team uf the Son Tay raid (he had the idea to intentionally crash-land a helo in the prison courtyard). Ret. in 1977, advised Bechwith for the creation of the Delta Force. Sent in Teheran to covert recon and help Delta during operation Eagle Claw.

From one site: "Leaded his regiment in great pressure during time of "great offensive" (meaning tali-ihantala).In Battle at Siiranmäki repelled 4-5 enemy divisions and caused loss of 5000 troops to enemy. In Vuosalmi personally prevented collapse of defence"

During the battle he visited front many times and raised spirits of his troops.

Lions2012

09-15-2007, 06:37 PM

Share any stories you have about the best/greatest/most secret/toughest soldiers of any war, any time!

Sorry if this is a pseudo-repost.

Eoin666

09-15-2007, 11:12 PM

Blair "Paddy" Mayne, most decorated allied solider of WWII, commanded the SAS from 1944, awarded 3 bars to his DSO which could and should have been the VC's, only he had a penchant for punching his superior officers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Mayne

Ezekiel25:17

09-15-2007, 11:16 PM

Any soldier who didn't let his friends down.

Thor

09-15-2007, 11:16 PM

There is already a thread.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=104469

Jarhead

09-16-2007, 12:00 PM

Any soldier who didn't let his friends down.
true words buddy

SuperBootie

09-22-2007, 07:03 AM

Blair "Paddy" Mayne, most decorated allied solider of WWII, commanded the SAS from 1944, awarded 3 bars to his DSO which could and should have been the VC's, only he had a penchant for punching his superior officers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Mayne

I have to say Paddy was the greatest Special Operator of all time in MHO. I tend to think if he was American the audience and recognition of his brilliance would have been justly rewarded.

Just the same as Lt Col T, late CO of the Regiment asked to resign for being a bloody leader of men! Bollocks this to government.

digrar

09-22-2007, 07:17 AM

Merged.....

muttbutt

09-22-2007, 08:47 AM

I have to say Paddy was the greatest Special Operator of all time in MHO. I tend to think if he was American the audience and recognition of his brilliance would have been justly rewarded.

Just the same as Lt Col T, late CO of the Regiment asked to resign for being a bloody leader of men! Bollocks this to government.
He was also a damn fine Ruggy player...we could have used him in this WC:|

Ed Robinson

09-24-2007, 03:28 AM

Lt Col Harry MURRAY
The most decorated infantry man in the British Empire.
He started the war as a Private and finished as a Lt Col.

Distinguished Conduct Medal ( DCM) as a Lance Corporal.: Gallipoli. 2 x wounded.
Distinguished Service Order ( DSO) as a Captain France/Flanders again 2 x wounded.
Bar to DSO as a Captain
Victoria Cross as a Captain.

His best mate Major Percy BLACK
Started as a private and was killed in action as a major.
DCM as a Pte at Gallipoli
DSO as a major

These men met when they first joined up together and were part of the 16th Battalion AIF mg section.
Both were natural soldiers whose men would follow them to the ends of the earth.
Incredible soldiers.

The full story is in a book called “No ordinary determination”. By Jeff HATWELL

A unit as a whole
THE RHODESIAN LIGHT INFANTRY.

During the bush war. Doing up to three COMBAT insertions a day either by parachute or helicoptered into action. Day in day out.

Eoin666

09-24-2007, 05:02 AM

I have to say Paddy was the greatest Special Operator of all time in MHO. I tend to think if he was American the audience and recognition of his brilliance would have been justly rewarded.

Just the same as Lt Col T, late CO of the Regiment asked to resign for being a bloody leader of men! Bollocks this to government.

Too true my friend.......but not just this government, after the war when the plethora of British special forces were disbanded the SAS were told "we have no more need for gangsters in the British army", like the world hadn't changed and we could go back the good old colonial days, bombing tribesmen from 5000ft and back in time for tea, crumpets and cricket! Looks likes nothing ever changes where Whitehall is concerned.

Another great soldier: Alfons Vilhelm Robert Rebane (June 24, 1908 – March 8, 1976) was an Estonian military commander. He was the most highly decorated, and probably the most talented and charismatic Estonian soldier of World War II.

Rebane was born in Valga in southern Estonia, then part of the Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire. In 1920 Rebane, son of a railway official, attended the Russian secondary school in Narva. From 1926 to 1929 he attended Tartu University and graduated from the Estonian War College with first class honours. He served as an infantry officer on the armoured train "Captain Irv" of the 1st Armored Train Regiment as a second lieutenant in 1929. Married in 1931 to Agnia Soomets, they had one daughter Tiiu who died soon afterwards. On Independence Day on February 24th, 1933, Rebane was promoted to first lieutenant. From 1935 to 1939 served as junior instructor in the Defence League Viljandi County Territorial Regiment, between 1939-1940 in the Lääne County Territorial Regiment. From January to June 1940 Rebane was the Commandant of Lihula.

Rebane served as an officer in the Estonian Army until the Soviet troops occupied the country in 1940. The Soviets disbanded the Estonian Army and arrested and executed the entire Estonian high command. More junior officers, such as Rebane, were dismissed due to their lack of "political reliability" and were liable to be deported. Working as a construction worker, Rebane fled into the forests when the Soviets began mass deportations in 1941. He established and led an anti-Soviet guerilla unit in Virumaa in Northern Estonia and fought the NKVD Destruction Battalions which were terrorising the civilian population.

After Germany had taken control of Estonia, he joined the German Wehrmacht and went on to fight against the Soviets in Northwestern Russia, subsequently becoming the captain of the 184th Security Battalion, then Major of the 658th (Estonian) Ost Battalion. In February 1944 Major Rebane's unit was transferred to the Narva front and attached to the Wehrmacht's 26th Army Corp on March 2nd. On April 27th, 1944, the unit was released from the Wehrmacht and Rebane was reluctantly drafted into the newly-formed 20th (Estonian) Division of the Waffen-SS, eventually becoming colonel of the 47th Waffen-Grenadier Regiment. The Estonian division played a significant role in the Battle of Narva (1944) and Tannenberg line, holding back the Soviet re-occupation of Estonia until September 1944 while suffering heavy casualties. Rebane's unit was then evacuated to Germany for refitting and saw more action on the Eastern Front in the spring of 1945. Despite being encircled several times, Rebane was amongst a small group of Estonian soldiers who in the final days of the war evaded capture by the Soviets and managed to reach the western allies to surrender. Soldiers who fought in units under his command were often colloquially referred to as the "Fox cubs" (Rebane translates to "fox" in Estonian).

Rebane became one of Estonia's most decorated soldiers. During his days in the Estonian Army, he was awarded the Defence League White Cross 3rd Class and the Latvian Aizsargi Cross of Merit. In the German army he was awarded the Iron Cross first and second class, the War Merit Cross with swords second class, the Eastern Front Medal, the silver Infantry Assault Badge and the silver Ostvolk Medal for bravery. Rebane was also decorated with the silver Close Combat Clasp, awarded for hand-to-hand fighting by unsupported infantry for a total of 30 days. In February 1944 he was awarded the Knight's Cross and in April 1945 he was promoted to Waffen-Standartenführer and awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves for extreme bravery in the battlefield. Rebane was one of the only two non-germans awarded the oak leaves. Rebane did not receive the award or confirmation of the promotion until 1975. At the end of the war there were some rumours that Rebane had been awarded the Oak Leaves but no official notification reached Rebane at the time. The archives were moved to Great Britain and returned to Germany in 1975. At that time Rebane asked if the rumours held any truth and he was then formally notified that he had been in fact given the award and promoted by the then President of Germany Karl Dönitz.

In 1947 Rebane moved to England and joined the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). There he played a key role in assisting the armed resistance to Soviet rule in Estonia and other Baltic countries. He led the Estonian portion of MI6's Operation Jungle well into the 1950s.
In 1961 Rebane moved to Germany and stayed there until his death in Augsburg in 1976. Rebane's ashes were returned to Estonia and reburied with honours in 1999.

The Latvian Legion's attachment to the SS, unit designations and ranks were considered a formality. Latvian and Estonian soldiers like Alfrēds Riekstiņš and Alfons Rebane - regardless of whether they volunteered or were drafted - were not members of the Nazi party.
In 1949-50, United States Displaced Persons Commission investigated the Estonian and Latvian "SS" and found these military units to be neither criminal nor Nazi collaborators. On 12 September 1950, Harry N. Rosenfield, the United Nations Refugee Relief Association commissioner, wrote to Jūlijs Feldmanis, Latvia's charge d'affaires in Washington, saying that «the Waffen-SS units of the Baltic States (the Baltic Legions) are to be seen as units that stood apart and were different from the German SS in terms of goals, ideologies, operations and constitution, and the Commission does not, therefore, consider them to be a movement that is hostile to the government of the United States under Section 13 of the Displaced Persons Act, as amended.»

Erich von Manstein (November 24 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_24), 1887 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1887)–June 9 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_9), 1973 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973)) served the German military as a lifelong professional soldier. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Nazi Germany (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany)'s armed forces (Wehrmacht (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht)). During World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) he attained the rank of Field Marshal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Marshal) (Generalfeldmarschall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalfeldmarschall)) and was held in high esteem by his fellow officers as one of the Wehrmacht's best military minds.
He was the initiator and one of the planners of the Ardennes-offensive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_France) alternative in the invasion of France in 1940. He received acclaim from the Nazi-German leadership for the victorious battles of Perekop Isthmus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perekop_Isthmus), Kerch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerch), Sevastopol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevastopol) and Kharkov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharkov). He commanded the failed relief effort at Stalingrad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad) and the Cherkassy pocket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherkassy_pocket) evacuation. He was dismissed from service by Adolf Hitler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler) in March 1944, due to his frequent clashes with Hitler over military strategy.
In 1949 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1949), he was brought on trial in Hamburg for war crimes, which convicted him of "Neglecting to protect civilian lives" and for using scorched earth tactics denying vital food supplies to the local population. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, which was later reduced to 12. Although claiming to not know about the Holocaust (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust), von Manstein nevertheless showed a callous disregard for the plights of Jews, equating partisans and Jews and advocating harsh measures against both. After release from British prison in 1953, he became a military advisor for the West German Government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Germany).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/59/Vmansteindotjpg

grimrapier

04-25-2008, 03:28 PM

Source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_Manstein

Smok

04-25-2008, 03:33 PM

Manstein? He was war criminalist responsible for many civilians deaths!

grimrapier

04-25-2008, 03:41 PM

Ignorance is bliss my friend.

PennyWise

04-25-2008, 04:25 PM

http://www.lzxray.com/plumleydotgif

Command Segeant Major Basil L. Plumley

Made all four combat jumps with 82nd Airborne in WWII
Made one more jump in Korea with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team
Landed with the 7th Calvary in the Ia Drang Valley

some of the veterans of the battle of Ia Drang believe that god looks like CSM Plumley (no joke).

dan_pub

04-25-2008, 09:30 PM

It is disappointing to see posts singing praise for a SS and for an indicted nazi war criminal. Yuck.
I don't know if any mods are paying attention to this thread, but surely this is not what this forum is about.
By the way, in most countries I know, such posts are against the law.

James

04-25-2008, 09:45 PM

It is disappointing to see posts singing praise for a SS and for an indicted nazi war criminal. Yuck.
I don't know if any mods are paying attention to this thread, but surely this is not what this forum is about.
By the way, in most countries I know, such posts are against the law.

If we edited everything everything we disagreed with, or banned those who posted such material, we'd be little better than the Nazis you've mentioned. On the other hand, this thread is about soldiers - my take is that it is about military accomplishments, not politics or genocide. You are more than welcome to disagree with what others have posted, especially if you can be mature and articulate about it.

Have a good one.

James

04-25-2008, 09:48 PM

Any soldier who didn't let his friends down.

Semper Fi. ;)

TR1

04-25-2008, 09:57 PM

Manstein? He was war criminalist responsible for many civilians deaths!
don't try to argue with the people who ignore what the Germans did during the war...

13KiloGulf

04-25-2008, 09:59 PM

Alfred L. Wilson
Rank and organization: Technician Fifth Grade, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 328th Infantry, 26th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Bezange la Petite, France, 8 November 1944.
Entered service at: Fairchance, Pa.
Birth: Fairchance, Pa.
G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945.
Citation: He volunteered to assist as an aid man a company other than his own, which was suffering casualties from
constant artillery fire. He administered to the wounded and returned to his own company when a shellburst injured a number of its men. While treating his comrades he was seriously wounded, but refused to be evacuated by litter bearers sent to relieve him. In spite of great pain and loss of blood, he continued to administer first aid until he was too weak to stand. Crawling from 1 patient to another, he continued his work until excessive loss of blood prevented him from moving. He then verbally directed unskilled enlisted men in continuing the first aid for the wounded. Still refusing assistance himself, he remained to instruct others in dressing the wounds of his comrades until he was unable to speak above a whisper and finally lapsed into unconsciousness. The effects of his injury later caused his death. By steadfastly remaining at the scene without regard for his own safety, Cpl. Wilson through
distinguished devotion to duty and personal sacrifice helped to save the lives of at least 10 wounded men.
http://history.amedd.army.mil/moh/WilsonAdotjpg

Hard to choose one over the 1 million+ who were killed, so I choose the ordinary, yet extraordinary poilus of WW 1. The greatests in my book.

PennyWise

04-25-2008, 11:05 PM

don't try to argue with the people who ignore what the Germans did during the war...

And what about people who seem to over look the crimes of the Red Army?

Douros81

04-26-2008, 01:01 AM

http://www.lzxray.com/plumleydotgif

Command Segeant Major Basil L. Plumley

Made all four combat jumps with 82nd Airborne in WWII
Made one more jump in Korea with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team
Landed with the 7th Calvary in the Ia Drang Valley

some of the veterans of the battle of Ia Drang believe that god looks like CSM Plumley (no joke).

He's a real trooper, to be a three war vet. Is he still living?

PennyWise

04-26-2008, 01:24 AM

He's a real trooper, to be a three war vet. Is he still living?

Yes he is still alive he is 87 or 88 years old. He is a true American hero. p-)

tattooman

04-26-2008, 02:09 AM

José Millan Astray, founder of Spanish Foreign Legión.

Millán Astray, the son of a lawyer, was born in La Coruña, Spain (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWspain.htm), on 5th July 1879. Astray entered the Infantry Academy in Toledo on 30th August 1894 and graduated as a second lieutenant two years later. After spending six months in an infantry regiment stationed in Madrid he went to the Escuela Superior de Guerra to study for the general staff diploma.
In November 1896 Astray left his course in order to volunteer for active service in the Philippines where a nationalist rebellion against Spanish rule was taking place. The following month he became a national hero when he successfully led thirty men against two thousand rebels at San Rafael.
After winning three medals for bravery, Astray returned to the Escuela Superior de Guerra in June 1897. He graduated in 1899 and by January 1905 had reached the rank of captain.
In 1910 Astray joined the staff of the Infantry Academy of Toledo where he taught military history and tactics. He missed the excitement of warfare and in August 1912 he was transferred to Morroco (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWmorocco.htm). Astray remained in Africa until 1917 when he returned to Madrid. The following year he began to argue that Spain needed a mercenary army to serve in Spain's colonies. Tovar Marcoleta liked the idea and in 1919 sent him to study the French Foreign Legion in Algeria (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWalgeria.htm).
Astray was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and in January 1920 was named head of the Spanish Foreign Legion (Tercio de Extranjeros). He appointed Francisco Franco (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWfranco.htm) as his second in command. The first volunteers arrived in Ceuta in October 1920. Astray told his new recruits "you have lifted yourselves from among the dead - for don't forget that you were dead, that your lives were over. You have come here to live a new life for which you must pay with death. You have come here to die. Since you crossed the Straits, you have no mother, no girlfriend, no family; from today all that will be provided by the Legion." Astray added: "Death in combat is the greatest honour. You die only once. Death arrives without pain and is not so terrible as it seems. The most horrible thing is to live as a coward."
The Tercio de Extranjeros quickly developed a reputation for brutality. Astray and Franco encouraged the killing and mutilation of prisoners. Arturo Barea, who served under Astray in Morroco (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWmorocco.htm) in 1921, later wrote: "When it attacked, the Tercio knew no limits to its vengeance. When it left a village, nothing remained but fires and the corpses of men, women and children."
Astray insisted on leading his men into battle. On 17th September 1921 he was hit in the chest by an enemy bullet. He returned to action three weeks later and on 10th January 1922 he received a bad leg wound.
In 1923 Astray was replaced by Francisco Franco (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWfranco.htm) as commander of the Tercio de Extranjeros. Astray was sent to France (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/France.htm) to study the organization of the French Army (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2wwfrenchA.htm). The following year he joined the staff of the High Commissioner in Morroco (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWmorocco.htm). On 26th October 1924 he was ambushed by local rebels and his wounds led to him having his left arm amputated.
Astray returned as commander of the Tercio de Extranjeros in February 1926. He continued to lead his men into battle and the following month he lost his right eye when a bullet hit him in the face. In June 1927 he was promoted to Brigadier General and was given command of the Ceuta-Tetuán district. In January 1930 he was attached to the Ministry of War and eventually became a member of the Supreme War Council.
Astray held extreme right-wing political opinions. He fully supported the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPrivera.htm) and was dismayed by the abdication of Alfonso XIII (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPalfonso.htm) and the establishment of a Republican government. In October 1934 he supervised the use of the Tercio de Extranjeros to repress the left-wing insurrection in Asturias. He later told a journalist that he was involved "a frontier war against socialism, communism and whatever attacks civilization in order to replace it with barbarism".
Involved in the military uprising against the Popular Front (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPpopular.htm) government in July 1936. On the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/schoolnet.co.uk/Spanish-Civil-War.htm) Astray was recruited by General Francisco Franco (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWfranco.htm) to join his staff in Seville. Soon afterwards he was placed in charge of the Nationalist propaganda operation. Astray also played an important role in persuading other senior officers that Franco should become commander of the Nationalist Army (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPnationalistA.htm) and chief of state of Spain.
In his speeches Astray openly claimed that he wanted to establish a fascist government in Spain. At a speech in Salamanca on 12th October 1936 he told the audience: "Catalonia and the Basque Country are two cancers in the body of the nation! Fascism, Spain's remedy, comes to exterminate them, slicing healthy, living flesh like a scalpel."
During the Second World War (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WW.htm) Astray was a great supporter of Nazi Germany (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERnazigermany.htm). He encouraged men to join the Blue Division that fought with the German Army (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWgermanA.htm) on the Eastern Front. Astray hoped that an Axis victory would lead to a new Spanish Empire in Africa.
After the war Astray went into retirement. Millán Astray died of a heart-attack on 1st January 1954.

Good soldier, bad politic!

http://www.generalisimofranco.com/imag2/millanEdotjpg

http://www.generalisimofranco.com/imag2/millan1dotjpg

Douros81

04-26-2008, 02:45 AM

Yes he is still alive he is 87 or 88 years old. He is a true American hero. p-)

Thats is amazing. To think that a man could fight though three wars. How many Three War Vets are there?

PennyWise

04-26-2008, 10:49 AM

Thats is amazing. To think that a man could fight though three wars. How many Three War Vets are there?

Well my grandfather on my dads side was a Marine who fought in both WWII and Korea and the and the grandfather on my moms side was in the Waffen SS in WWII (he died two years ago :( ). My uncle was a USMC officer in Vietnam but no single member has served in all three. They are very rare and remarkable people.

Two books were written by Max M**** shortly after the 2nd WW. The first, Det vil helst gå godt – 1945 (i.e. 'It Tends To Go Well') describes some of his enterprising and event-filled wandering and working in the jungles of South America and in Latin America.

He returned to Scandinavia before the outbreak of World War II, upon which he soon joined up with the Norwegian Army and went to fight in a volunteer detachment with the Finns against the Russian invaders of their land.

After the debacle in Finland, Max M**** returned to Norway and was there when the Nazis occupied on April 9th, 1940. He fought during the Norwegian campaign, whereupon he decided to return to Oslo and work underground against the occupiers, both organising a resistance movement, illegal public propaganda and the manufacture of weaponry. He and his comrades nearly managed to assassinate Himmler and Goebbels when they visited Oslo. His work was nonetheless so effective that he became a much wanted man by the Gestapo, and he was eventually captured by them, receiving injuries as he tried to escape. He had to be treated in the main Oslo hospital. The doctor at the hospital gave the Gestapo officer a false explanation and said Max M**** needed treatment for a broken back, damaged shoulder and serious concussion. The truth was different - he was only bruised and had a light concussion.

With the aid of his nurse, he managed after 27 days on his back to escape through a second-floor window with a rope. In a dramatic flight he went to Sweden. By then, Russia had entered the war against Nazi Germany, so M**** travelled through Russia, via Turkey, Arabia, by ship via Capetown to the U.S., all to eventually be able to return to the fight in Europe.
He reconnected with the Norwegian military in the US and went on to further training in Canada and later crossed the Atlantic again to Belfast, then England. Here and in Scotland he trained further and developed professional skills at sabotage and undercover work of many kinds. He was then required to learn parachuting and was dropped in the forests near Oslo with a sabotage team.

In Norway he resumed his organisational work and made various sabotage attempts on ships in Oslofjord with home-designed limpet mines and even ‘swimmer-assisted torpedoes’. The former were the more successful than the latter, sinking and damaging some vessels. It was a long but intense learning process of great practical difficulty and hazard. He made numerous hazardous trips back and forth across the border to Sweden, where he was able to get a respite from the constant mental and physical pressures of being undercover. Many of his comrades in arms were killed, captured and tortured, but M**** managed to survive through a combination of determination not to be taken and some very lucky narrow escapes.

Max M****’ second book was 'Det Blir Alvor' (i.e. 'It Gets Serious'), in which he continues the saga of his resistance work and his great successes in sinking in 1945 two large vessels of great importance to the German war machine. When peace was declared, Max M**** found himself to be chosen to sit as a ‘living target’ beside the then Crown Prince of Norway on his triumphal parade in Oslo, and then also with King Haakon VII. This was really an honour too, and he was lauded as one of Norway’s most resilient and successful fighters, aged only 29 at the time.

In December 2007 it was announced that a movie about the life of Max M**** is to be made in Norway, starring Aksel Hennie in the leading role.

Awards: War Cross with two swords (second highets Norw. military order), Distinguished Service Order (UK), Military Cross with bar (UK), Defence Medal 1940 – 1945 (N), Participation in the Winter War Medal (Fin), Various American, Polish and Italian awards.

biography:
Siebren Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, Knight in the Military Order of William (April 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_3), 1917 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1917) – September 26 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_26), 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007)), was the writer of the 1970 book Soldaat van Oranje (Dutch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_language): Soldier of Orange (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldier_of_Orange)) in which he describes his experiences in World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II), and which was was made into a 1977 film directed by Paul Verhoeven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Verhoeven) and starring Rutger Hauer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutger_Hauer)

and i my all time greatest hero is lt.col ronald speirs

biography:
Ronald Speirs (April 20 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_20), 1920 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1920) - April 11 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_11), 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007)) was a United States Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army) officer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_%28armed_forces%29) who served in the U.S. 101st Airborne Division (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._101st_Airborne_Division) during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II). He was initially a platoon leader (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platoon_leader) in Company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_%28military_unit%29) "D" ("Dog" Company) of the 2nd Battalion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battalion) of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/506th_Parachute_Infantry_Regiment). Speirs was reassigned to command "E" or "Easy" Company in Bastogne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastogne) at the end of the Battle of the Bulge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge). Speirs also served in Korea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea) where he commanded a rifle company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry), and later became the American (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) Governor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor) for Spandau Prison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandau_Prison) in Berlin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin). He served as a Captain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29) in the European Theater (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Theater) and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Colonel).

search google for more info..

TR1

04-27-2008, 03:22 PM

And what about people who seem to over look the crimes of the Red Army?
Crimes are incomparable. Hell, for what was done in the East, Germany should be happy it was not wiped out completely. Plys on mp.net you get far more revisionists (generally pre-pubescent fanboys of the SS) claiming that GErman atrocities were far less in scale than those carried out by RKKA. In general comparison of atrocities during WW2 is pointless.

Exactly, so let's end it there. It's not like anyone is posting Kaminski or Dirlewanger.. Profiles posted this far are all great soldiers in my book.

Switek

04-27-2008, 04:40 PM

Jan Piwnik - Ponury

http://www.grom.mil.pl/cichociemni_pliki/6dotjpg

Jan Piwnik (1912 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912)-1944 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944); nom de guerre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nom_de_guerre) Ponury, Donat) was a Polish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland) World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) soldier, a cichociemny (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cichociemny) and a notable leader of the Home Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Army) in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Awi%C4%99tokrzyskie_Mountains) area.

Biography

Jan Piwnik was born August 12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_12), 1912 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912) in the village of Janowice near Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrowiec_%C5%9Awi%C4%99tokrzyski). In 1933 he graduated from a reserve NCO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-commissioned_officer) artillery school in Włodzimierz Wołyński (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82odzimierz_Wo%C5%82y%C5%84ski). In 1935 he joined the Polish police (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police), where he served as an officer. Mobilized in 1939, in the Polish Defensive War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland_%281939%29) he commanded a motorized unit of the police. After the Soviet aggression, on September 23 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_23) he and his unit crossed the Hungarian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary) border, where they were interned.
Piwnik managed to escape from the internment camp and in November of 1939 he arrived to Paris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris), where he reported himself to the Polish Government in Exile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Government_in_Exile). He joined the Polish Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Army) recreated in France at that time and was assigned to the 4th Rifle Brigade (en cadre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_cadre)). After evacuation to Great Britain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain), following the French defeat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_France), he joined the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_1st_Independent_Parachute_Brigade) under Gen. Sosabowski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_Sosabowski).
There Piwnik was informed of creation of the Cichociemni (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cichociemni) formation, which he joined. After receiving extensive training, he was transported to Poland on November 7 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_7), 1941 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941). There he joined the Home Army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Army) and served at various posts. In the summer of 1942 he was assigned to head one of the Wachlarz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wachlarz) units operating from Równe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B3wne) in Eastern Poland. Arrested by the Gestapo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestapo), he managed to escape from the German prison and reached Warsaw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw). There he was ordered to prepare a mission of extraction of his fellow Wachlarz members from the prison in Pińsk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinsk). On January 18 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_18), 1943 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943), he successfully stormed the German prison, liberated all the prisoners and hostages and transported them safely to Warsaw.
For his action he was promoted to ensign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensign_%28rank%29) and in March was assigned to the Radom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radom)-Kielce (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kielce) Home Army Area as the commanding officer of all KeDyw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KeDyw) forces dislocated there. As the hilly and densely forested terrain was ideal for partisan warfare, Piwnik started to organise a large partisan unit out of many smaller, previously-existing groups. His unit, based in the forests around Wykus (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wykus&action=edit&redlink=1), received the name of Home Army Partisan Group "Ponury". One of the most successful units in the area, the Group successfully disrupted German transports and constantly harassed German garrisons. However, in the effect of the German counter-attack his unit suffered heavy losses and was forced to move eastwards, towards the forests near Jeleniów.
In December of 1943 Piwnik was dismissed from command of the partisan units and in February of the following year he was assigned to the Nowogródek (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowogr%C3%B3dek) Home Army Area, where he formed a small partisan unit. After the start of the Operation Tempest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tempest), his unit was reformed into the VII battalion of the 77th Home Army Infantry Regiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polish_77th_Infantry_Regiment&action=edit&redlink=1) and took part in many successful actions behind the German lines. He was killed in action (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killed_in_action) in a successful attack against a German troops near the village of Jewłasze near Vilnius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilnius) on June 16 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_16), 1944 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944). Jan Piwnik was posthumously promoted to the rank of Major.
For his actions, he was twice awarded the Krzyż Walecznych (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krzy%C5%BC_Walecznych) and the IV Class Virtuti Militari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuti_Militari) medal. After the war, his life became part of popular culture of the Świętokrzyskie area. In July of 1988 his body was exhumed and transferred to a crypt in the Cystertian (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cystertians&action=edit&redlink=1) monastery in Wąchock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C4%85chock).

Probably polish made BLYSKAWICA SMG (made in underground factory during german occupation).

Xfire1prod

04-27-2008, 06:04 PM

A hero is not a hero without others. "Others" he or she saved. The others that Raised, supported and or trained the Hero.

But if i had to select one, It would be
GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON
Anyone that has defended Me and My Family on domestic and Foriegn soil are ALL Heroes to us!
Thank You:
http://www.youtube.com/v/t36kMww6Nls

PennyWise

04-28-2008, 02:37 PM

Crimes are incomparable. Hell, for what was done in the East, Germany should be happy it was not wiped out completely. Plys on mp.net you get far more revisionists (generally pre-pubescent fanboys of the SS) claiming that GErman atrocities were far less in scale than those carried out by RKKA. In general comparison of atrocities during WW2 is pointless.

In any case, there have been many threads on this.

Don't give me that "crimes are incomparable" ****. The USSR was responsible for a whole lot of death and destruction. Don't you even think you or your country can take the moral high ground. Please don't make me go over a long list....

But in any case as you said this is not the thread for this sort of topic.

Muc91

04-28-2008, 04:49 PM

I think the greatest soldiers are the regular guys who find their lives interrupted by war, but they go anyway, because it's the right thing to do.

Here's one of them. Blago Zadro, a factory worker in Vukovar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blago_Zadro

Another soldier I admire is MSG Roy Benavidez.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Benavidez

UNSoC

04-29-2008, 03:07 PM

This dude may be a policeman but could quite easily pass for a soldier going by the nature of his job in the urban environment of a typical South African day. It's considered a normal day to be shot at, draw your firearm several times in a shift and to shoot at suspects to preserve your own survival. I personally consider a South African cop a true soldier in the never ending fight against spiralling crime in the Republic.
http://saps.reserve.org.za/e107_plugins/coppermine_menu/albums/userpics/10209/GR1dotjpg (javascript: window.close())
if thats the case, they should up-armour there police cars!

Xfire1prod

04-29-2008, 07:03 PM

A hero is not a hero without others. "Others" he or she saved. The others that Raised, supported and or trained the Hero.

But if i had to select one, It would be
GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON
Anyone that has defended Me and My Family on domestic and Foriegn soil are ALL Heroes to us!
Thank You:
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/XFIRE1PROD/George_Washingtondotjpg

Douros81

04-30-2008, 12:31 AM

This dude may be a policeman but could quite easily pass for a soldier going by the nature of his job in the urban environment of a typical South African day. It's considered a normal day to be shot at, draw your firearm several times in a shift and to shoot at suspects to preserve your own survival. I personally consider a South African cop a true soldier in the never ending fight against spiralling crime in the Republic.

These guys should come to North St. Louis, they could kick some real up there.

I think he fought one of the greatest tactical battles in modern times. Credit also has to go to Yanosh Ben-Gal for the brigade's high level of training and its commander's resourcefulness and knowledge of terrain.

dan_pub

05-11-2008, 12:04 AM

Maybe you can educate some of the folks here. Dayan and Rabin should be known to most, but details on Avigdor Kahalani are harder to find.
hard to find? Mhhh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avigdor_Kahalani

By the way, in my original post I should also have mentioned Arik Sharon, if only for his role in the battle of Abu-Ageila in 1967, and for his decisive victory again on the Egyptians in Africa during YKW.

By the way, in my original post I should also have mentioned Arik Sharon, if only for his role in the battle of Abu-Ageila in 1967, and for his decisive victory again on the Egyptians in Africa during YKW.

I said details, not just one short text

mudbunny

05-12-2008, 12:25 PM

Was reading thru Stephen Ambrose's "Band of Brothers" and I found this excerpt from the final chapter, "Postwar Careers", to be very interesting. This is from the author writng about a letter from former Easy Co. man Robert Smith, to former Easy Co. Commander, **** Winters. Read on..............

"Sgt. Robert 'Burr' Smith also stayed in the paratroopers, where he got a commission and eventually became a lieutenant colonel. He commanded a Special Forces Reserve unit in San Francisco. In December 1979, he wrote to Winters: 'Eventually my reserve assignment led me to a new career with a governement agency, which in turn led to eight years in Laos as a civilian advisor to a large irregular force. I continued to jump regularly until 1974, when lack of interest drove me to hangliding, and that has been my consuming passion ever since...For the present I am assigned as a special assistant to the Commander of Delta Force, the counter-terror force at Fort Bragg. My specialties are (surprise! surprise!): airborne operations, light weapons, and small unti operations.
"Funny thing about 'The Modern Army', ****. I am assigned to what is reputed to be the best unit in the U.S Army, the Delta Force, and I believe that it is. Still, on a man-for-man basis, I'd choose my wartime paratroop company (E Co. 506 Inf./101st Airborne) ANY TIME! We had something for three years that will never be equalled."

El Diablo Rojo

05-18-2008, 03:12 AM

No not him.:) the story goes that his dog defecated in one of the officer's bar and some guy grabbed the dog's neck and put its nose into the poo. The Sf guy heard about this and was obviously pissed. He proceeded to the above mentioned club and relieved himself and asked anyone would be brave enough to grab him by neck too. ofcourse no one did.
That'd be SFC Jerry 'Mad Dog' Shriver, MIA in Cambodia in '69. He's mentioned a few times in Maj John Plaster's book SOG.

Sgt Shriver was a real badass.

El Diablo Rojo

05-18-2008, 03:14 AM

http://www.lzxray.com/plumleydotgif

Command Segeant Major Basil L. Plumley

Made all four combat jumps with 82nd Airborne in WWII
Made one more jump in Korea with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team
Landed with the 7th Calvary in the Ia Drang Valley

some of the veterans of the battle of Ia Drang believe that god looks like CSM Plumley (no joke).
I recall hearing that CSM Plumley did more than a few tours in Nam...

Anyway, my vote for best soldier will go to a man mentioned at the bottom of page one, CSM Frank Miller. CMH, SSM, two BSMs w/V, AM, six PHs... and 80 months in Vietnam. I still am awestruck every time I flip through his autobiography...

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Desert_song/ladotgif
On the 19th of July 1972 two-hundred-and-fifty guerillas attacked the British Troops who were commanded by Captain Mike Kealy. The battle began at 6.00am with only nine SAS soldiers to hold the guerillas back, for some hours, until relief forces arrived.

When fighting commenced, Sgt. Labalaba ran over to a 25 pounder gun and began firing at guerilla froces. The SAS requested further air support as it became evident that the nine B Squadron 22nd British SAS unit soldiers were clearly overpowered by the enemy.

A message was received that Sgt. Labalaba had been hit on the chin and it is said that he uttered, with remarkable composure, “The enemy is getting a bit close”. Another Fijian Soldier, Trooper Savesaki, ran over to help Sgt. Labalaba as bullets flew around him. Not only had the 25 pounder gun been heavily attacked and its shield significanlty damaged by bullets but Sgt. Labalaba was badly injured. It wasn’t long before Trooper Savesaki was shot in the shoulder and head, while helping Sgt. Labalaba, but he was remarkably still able to fire his gun. Captain Kealy and Trooper Tobin took over from the injured Fijians and The Captain promptly called for an immediate air strike and at approximately 12.30 the guerillas surrendered.

The guerillas lost 30 men that day - the SAS soldiers lost two: Sgt. Labalaba and Trooper Tobin.

Sadly, Sgt. Talaiasi Labalaba died heroically during this battle while Trooper Savesaki survived injuries that should have killed him. Instead, after the battle, he walked calmy over to the helicopter, unassisted.

Probably because the British Government did not want to publish their involvement in this battle, no awards were given to the Fijian heroes until three years later when Sgt. Labalaba was posthumously Mentioned in Dispatches. Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) is a military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service. The award is relatively common, does not confer a medal and is relatively low in the order of precedence

Creampuff

05-20-2008, 08:55 AM

Any one mention Charles Upham? VC and bar. Kiwi:)

Creampuff

05-26-2008, 07:39 AM

Charles Upham
VICTORIA CROSS AND BAR

http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/images/cu-portrait4dotjpg (http://timeframes1.natlib.govt.nz/)Acknowledged widely as the outstanding soldier of the Second World War, Captain Charles Upham remains the only combatant soldier to have received the Victoria Cross and Bar (awarded to members of the armed forces of the Commonwealth for exceptional bravery). In Crete in May 1941, and the Western Desert in July 1942, Upham distinguished himself with displays of ‘nerveless competence’. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1908 Upham was educated at Christ’s College and Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln. He was a farm manager and then farm valuer before enlisting in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (aged 30) in 1939, quietly citing his reason as a desire to fight for justice.
Courage and Resource
Upham was renowned for combining controlled courage with quick-thinking resourcefulness. While most medals for bravery are awarded for a single act, Upham’s first citation was for nine days of skill, leadership and evident heroism. In March 1941, he was a Second Lieutenant in the 20th NZ Battalion in Crete. His display of courage included: destroying numerous enemy posts; rescuing a wounded man under fire; penetrating deep behind enemy lines and killing twenty-two German soldiers on the way to leading out an isolated platoon. This was all after being blown over by a mortar shell, and with a shrapnel wound in his shoulder and a bullet in his foot.
The incident that exemplified Upham’s courage was when two German soldiers trapped him alone on the fringes of an olive grove. Upham (on his way to warning other troops that they were being cut off) was watched by his helpless platoon, who were some distance away as he was fired on by the Germans. With any movement potentially fatal, he feigned death and with calculated coolness waited for the enemy soldiers to approach. With one arm lame in a sling, he used the crook of a tree to support his rifle and shoot the first assailant, then reloaded with one hand, and shot the second (who was so close as to fall against the barrel of Upham’s rifle).
Gallantry and Determination
Captain Upham's second citation was for his part in the July 1942 attack on Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, where the New Zealand Division was stranded after promised armoured support failed to come through. As the Allied forces struggled to hold the line, Upham led his company on what was described as a savage attack on German and Italian strongpoints. Upham was personally responsible for destroying a German tank and several guns and vehicles with hand grenades and, though he was shot through the elbow with a machine gun bullet and had his arm shattered, he went on again to a forward position and brought back a number of his men who had become isolated. He was removed to the regimental aid post, but immediately after his wounds had been dressed he returned to his men. He consolidated and held his position and despite exhaustion, loss of blood and further injuries (as a result of artillery and mortar fire that decimated most of his company) he stayed with the only six remaining members until, now unable to move, he was overrun by enemy forces and captured.
http://www.nzedge.com/images/shimdotgifhttp://www.nzedge.com/images/topbuttondotgif (http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/upham.html#top)
Typifying his character and nickname ‘Pug’, he attempted to escape numerous times before being branded "dangerous" by the Germans and incarcerated in the infamous prison fortress Colditz.

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand (http://timeframes1.natlib.govt.nz/), Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

On May 11 1945 King George VI pinned an official Victoria Cross onto Charles Upham's uniform. He returned to New Zealand in September and ceased expeditionary service in November 1945. In April 1946 he was an official member of the New Zealand Victory Contingent. Modest Hero
Epitomising a certain strain of Kiwi modesty, Charles Upham was embarrassed by the accolades he received and attempted to avoid international media attention. When the people of Canterbury collected £10,000 for him to purchase a farm in recognition of his gallantry, Upham insisted the money be put towards an educational scholarship for children of returned soldiers.

At the conclusion of the war he returned to New Zealand to resume life as a sheep farmer in Hundalee, an isolated area north of Christchurch. It was rumoured that he never allowed a German-made car or machine onto the farm. He died in 1994. When King George VI enquired of Major-General Kippenberger whether Upham deserved a Bar to the Cross, Kippenberger replied, "In my respectful opinion, sir, Upham has won the VC several times over." The Complete Australian and New Zealand Victoria Cross Reference affirms that "without doubt Upham remains one of the most courageous leaders of any modern conflict". Charles Upham was unassumingly a true edge warrior.

Otto Carius was born on May 27th of 1922 in Zweibrucken, Rheinland-Pfalz in Southwest Germany. Just as he graduated from school, World War II broke out and he volunteered for 104th Infantry Placement Battalion in May of 1940. Following training, he was assigned to the 21st Panzer Regiment and experienced his first battle as a loader on a Panzer 38(t) during the "Barbarossa" operation in June of 1941. After about a year of war experience on the Eastern Front, Carius was accepted in an Officer Candidate Course and following its completion, was assigned to the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion in April of 1943. Equipped with the new Tiger tanks, he was assigned as a tank commander to the 2nd Company of 502nd Tank Battalion. That summer, the 2nd Company was deployed to the Russian Leningrad Front and took part in several operations in that area. During that time, 502nd Tank Battalion was ordered to reinforce the front along with 11th SS Freiwillige Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland" at Narva Bridgehead. During one of his engagements, Carius destroyed four Soviet SU-85s and successfully withdrew without losses. In June of 1944, the company was transferred to Dunaburg (Daugavpils in Latvia) to defend the city from a concentrated Russian offensive. In the July of 1944, Russians outflanked the German defensive lines via the motorways west of Minsk and Borissov to Witebsk (same route was used by Germans in 1941). By using tanks in vast numbers, Soviets intended to divide the German occupied territory into small salients and then take port city of Riga. Since Riga is situated at the mouth of Dvina River, Dunaburg was an important strategic point for both Germans and Russians.

Otto Carius was born on May 27th of 1922 in Zweibrucken, Rheinland-Pfalz in Southwest Germany. Just as he graduated from school, World War II broke out and he volunteered for 104th Infantry Placement Battalion in May of 1940. Following training, he was assigned to the 21st Panzer Regiment and experienced his first battle as a loader on a Panzer 38(t) during the "Barbarossa" operation in June of 1941. After about a year of war experience on the Eastern Front, Carius was accepted in an Officer Candidate Course and following its completion, was assigned to the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion in April of 1943. Equipped with the new Tiger tanks, he was assigned as a tank commander to the 2nd Company of 502nd Tank Battalion. That summer, the 2nd Company was deployed to the Russian Leningrad Front and took part in several operations in that area. During that time, 502nd Tank Battalion was ordered to reinforce the front along with 11th SS Freiwillige Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland" at Narva Bridgehead. During one of his engagements, Carius destroyed four Soviet SU-85s and successfully withdrew without losses. In June of 1944, the company was transferred to Dunaburg (Daugavpils in Latvia) to defend the city from a concentrated Russian offensive. In the July of 1944, Russians outflanked the German defensive lines via the motorways west of Minsk and Borissov to Witebsk (same route was used by Germans in 1941). By using tanks in vast numbers, Soviets intended to divide the German occupied territory into small salients and then take port city of Riga. Since Riga is situated at the mouth of Dvina River, Dunaburg was an important strategic point for both Germans and Russians.

When Carius' Tiger No.217 was about to enter the village, two T-34/85 tanks were observed rotating their turrets. At this moment, Kerscher's Tiger No.213 which followed Carius at about 150m, fired and knocked them out. Also for the first time, Otto Carius encountered Russian's latest JS-1 (or possibly JS-2) heavy tank. Its silhouette was somewhat similar to the German King Tiger and Carius was confused at first but after hesitating a bit, he fired and JS-1 burst into flames. Afterwards, Otto Carius recalls that the entire battle did not last more than 20 minutes. In such a short time, Carius and Kerscher's Tigers knocked out 17 Russian tanks including the new JS-1. Although the Russians were attacked by suprise, Carius' quick and accurate recognition of the situation and the excellent tactics used were the main factors in the outcome. Carius' achievement at Malinava is equally outstanding to Michael Wittmann's achievement at Villers-Bocage.

In November of 1943, Otto Carius destroyed 10 Soviet T-34/76 tanks at the distances as low as 50 meters.In August of 1944, Otto Carius was transferred to Paderbornto the newly created schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 512 and received the command of the 2nd company. sPzJagAbt 512 was equipped with powerful Jagdtigers, armed with 128mm Pak 44 L/55 gun. Carius commanded the 2nd company, which was training at Senne Camp near Paderborn and at Dollersheim near Vienna. On March 8th of 1945, without finishing its training, 2nd company was directed to the frontline near Siegburg. It then took part in the defence of the River Rhine and eventually surrendered to the US Army on April 15th of 1945. Interesting fact is that Otto Carius, only wore his Knight's Cross at the front, as it was a "pass" to get requests filled better. After the war, Otto Carius became an owner of a pharmacy called Tiger Apotheke.

Robert Howard was seventeen years old when he joined the Army in 1956. His father and four uncles had been paratroopers in World War II, and he followed in their footsteps, joining the 101st Airborne. In 1965, during the first of his five tours of duty in Vietnam, he was wounded when a ricocheting bullet hit him in the face. While recuperating in a field hospital, he met a patient who was in the Special Forces. When the man’s commanding officer visited, he sized Howard up, then talked him into transferring to the Special Forces.

In 1966, after six months of training in the States, Howard returned to Vietnam as part of the 5th Special Forces Group. By late 1968, he had already been recommended for the Medal of Honor on two separate occasions when, on the afternoon of December 28, his unit was ordered to rescue a wounded Green Beret. As the choppers carrying his platoon of American and Vietnamese Special Forces tried to land, the enemy opened fire. It took two hours for Howard and his men to clear the landing zone and get all the troops in. By dusk, as they were moving forward to a hill where they thought the wounded Green Beret might be hiding, a force of about 250 North Vietnamese suddenly attacked.

Howard and his lieutenant were at the head of the platoon when a claymore mine went off nearby. Howard was knocked unconscious; when he came to, he thought he was blind, until he realized that the blood from wounds on his face had gotten into his eyes.

His hands were mangled by shrapnel, which had also destroyed his weapon. He could hear his lieutenant groaning in pain a few yards away, and he was almost overcome by a sickening odor: An enemy soldier with
a Soviet flamethrower was burning the bodies of Howard’s comrades killed in the attack.

Deciding to blow himself up rather than be incinerated, too, Howard struggled to get a grenade off his web belt, then fumbled with the pin. The soldier with the flamethrower watched him for a moment, then walked away. Howard threw the grenade after him, then crawled to his lieutenant and tried to pull him down the hill into a ravine where the surviving Americans and South Vietnamese had taken refuge. When he got the officer down to a large tree root, where another GI had taken shelter, he screamed at the soldier to hand over his weapon. The soldier tossed him his .45 pistol, then opened fire himself with his rifle, killing three enemy soldiers who were trying to capture Howard and his lieutenant.

At that moment an NVA round struck Howard’s ammunition pouch, blowing him several feet down the hill. Still clutching the .45, he crawled back to the lieutenant, shooting several North Vietnamese along the way, and finally dragged him down to the ravine.

Howard took charge of the remaining Special Forces troops, then called in U.S. air strikes. For the next two days the North Vietnamese probed his position. On the morning of December 31, U.S. helicopters were finally able to stage an evacuation.

Two years later, in February 1971, Howard was a captain in charge of a Special Forces company under assault by the enemy when he got a call on a field telephone from General William Westmoreland. “We’re in pretty bad shape here,” Howard said, thinking the general had called to find out his situation. “Yeah, I know,” Westmoreland replied, “but we’re going to bring you out and give you the Medal of Honor.”

Robert Howard received the medal from President Richard Nixon on March 2, 1971. He retired at the rank of colonel in 1992.

Desmond T. Doss, who as an unarmed Army medic saved the lives of dozens of fellow soldiers under fire on Okinawa in World War II and became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor, died Thursday at his home in Piedmont, Ala. He was 87. His death was announced by his wife, Frances, who said he had recently been hospitalized with breathing difficulties.

Mr. Doss, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was guided all through his years by a framed poster of the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer that his father bought at an auction when he was growing up in Lynchburg, Va. That poster depicted Cain holding a club with the slain Abel beneath him.

"And when I looked at that picture, I came to the Sixth Commandment, 'Thou shalt not kill,' " Mr. Doss told Larry Smith in "Beyond Glory," an oral history of Medal of Honor winners. "I wondered, how in the world could a brother do such a thing? It put a horror in my heart of just killing, and as a result I took it personally: 'Desmond, if you love me, you won't kill.' "

When Mr. Doss was drafted in April 1942 after working in a shipyard, he was given conscientious objector status, having declined to bear arms because of his religious principles. He became a medic, the only way he could adhere to the Sixth Commandment as well as the Fourth Commandment, to honor the Sabbath. Seventh-day Adventists consider Saturday the Sabbath, but Mr. Doss felt he could serve as a medic seven days a week since, as he put it, "Christ healed on the Sabbath."

While training at stateside posts, Private Doss faced harassment from fellow soldiers for his devotion to prayer and his refusal to handle weapons or work on the Sabbath. At one point, he recalled, an officer sought to have him discharged on the ground of mental illness.

He went overseas with the 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division, in the summer of 1944 and served as a combat medic on Guam and at Leyte in the Philippines, receiving the Bronze Star, before taking part in the battle for Okinawa in the spring of 1945.

Private Doss was accompanying troops in the battle for a 400-foot-high ridge on Okinawa, the Maeda Escarpment, on Saturday, May 5 — his Sabbath — when the Japanese counterattacked. Many of the Americans were driven off the ridge, but wounded soldiers were stranded atop it.

Private Doss remained with the wounded, and, according to his Medal of Honor citation, he refused to seek cover, carrying them, one by one, in the face of enemy fire. He lowered each man on a rope-supported litter he had devised, using double bowline knots he had learned as a youngster and tying the makeshift litter to a tree stump serving as an anchor. Every wounded man was lowered to a safe spot 35 feet below the ridgetop, and then Private Doss came down the ridge unscathed.

After engaging in additional rescue efforts under fire over the next two weeks, Private Doss was wounded by a grenade that riddled him with shrapnel. He cared for his injuries alone for five hours, rather than have another medic emerge from cover to help him. While he was finally being carried off on a litter, he spotted a soldier who seemed worse off. He leaped off the litter, directing his aid men to help the other soldier.
Soon after that, Japanese fire hit him, and he suffered a compound arm fracture. He bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint, evidently the closest he ever came to handling a weapon, and crawled 300 yards to an aid station.

President Harry S. Truman (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/harry_s_truman/index.html?inline=nyt-per) presented him with the Medal of Honor on Oct. 12, 1945, for his actions on Okinawa. The citation credited him with saving 75 soldiers on that ridge, but he later said that the number was probably closer to 50.

Mr. Doss spent more than five years in hospitals being treated for his wounds and lost a lung to tuberculosis. Because of his infirmities, he was unable to seek steady work. He devoted himself to his religion and worked with young people in church-sponsored programs, living for many years in Rising Fawn, Ga., before moving to Alabama.

In addition to his wife, Frances, he is survived by his son, Desmond Jr., of Astoria, Ore., from his marriage to his first wife, Dorothy, who died in 1991; three stepchildren, Thomas Duman of Hixson, Tenn.; Michael Duman of Piedmont; and Marilyn Shadduck of Palm Springs, Calif.; a brother, Harold, of Kearneysville, W.Va.; nine stepgrandchildren; and five stepgreat-grandchildren.

Only one other conscientious objector has received the Medal of Honor: Cpl. Thomas W. Bennett, an Army medic in the Vietnam War who was killed in February 1969 tending to wounded soldiers in Pleiku Province.
"From a human standpoint, I shouldn't be here to tell the story," Mr. Doss told The Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1998. "All the glory should go to God. No telling how many times the Lord has spared my life."

Simo Häyhä, most successful sniper of all time http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_Hayha

And he did it all without all the fancy gear snipers use today.

Krag

10-27-2008, 03:17 PM

Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Probably the great, natural born military leader in U.S. history. If not for his untimely death as a result of "friendly fire" the course of the Civil War might have been very different.

Stainless Steel Rat

10-28-2008, 10:27 AM

Well, as long as the American Civil War has been put into play....

Major General George Henry Thomas. A Virginian by birth, unlike Lee and Jackson he made the decision to fight for the United States; and as a consequence his family never spoke to him again.

He won one of the early battles of the War (Logan's Cross Roads) stopping a Confederate incursion and helping to secure Kentucky for the Union. He held his position in the center of the line at Murfeesboro after the right flank had been bent back almost 90 degrees preventing the army from being broken and destroyed. At Chickamauga his holding action after the rout of the main Union forces prevented the destruction of the Union Army and a complete reversal of fortune in the Western theatre, and gave Thomas his nickname "The Rock of Chickamauga". Later he commanded the trops that took a thought-to-be impossible position on Missonary Ridge driving the Confederates off in rout. He led the Army of the Cumberland with Sherman to Atlanta and was entrusted by Sherman to organize the forces in his rear while Sherman made his famous march to the Sea. At the battle of Nashville, he defeated the last large Confederate force in the West (Hood's Army), virtually destroying them as a fighting force.

Despite all that, you will be hard-pressed to find a biography about him--partly because Southern writers would not write about a "traitor" to the Lost Cause and Northern writers had the triumvate of Grant, Sherman and Sheridan to write about. That he and Grant were not close and that he died in 1870 without publishing his memoirs (as Sherman and Grant did) has led to him being, IMHO, the 'forgotten hero" of the Civil War.

Someday after I retire, and if I have the enery, time, and skill, I'd like to do the bio on this extraordinary soldier. Time will tell.

hankpac

10-30-2008, 05:05 PM

John Gertsch, Platoon Sergeant of Tiger Force, 1/327, 101st Airborne Div.
He had at least 5 Silver Stars, Several Bronze Stars with V device, and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1969 for actions on Hamburger Hill, in the A Shau Valley, RVN.
I served with John.

BearInBunnySuit

11-07-2008, 10:01 PM

The Unknown Soldier

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:C_PzVbUSvifykM:http://ginavivinetto.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/tomb-unknown-soldier-picture1dotjpg "Here Rests
In Honored Glory
An American Soldier
Known But To God"

I would like to include all soldiers, not just Americans, through out history who gave their lives for their country but remain nameless.

Laconian

11-07-2008, 10:23 PM

Well, as long as the American Civil War has been put into play....

Major General George Henry Thomas. A Virginian by birth, unlike Lee and Jackson he made the decision to fight for the United States; and as a consequence his family never spoke to him again.

He won one of the early battles of the War (Logan's Cross Roads) stopping a Confederate incursion and helping to secure Kentucky for the Union. He held his position in the center of the line at Murfeesboro after the right flank had been bent back almost 90 degrees preventing the army from being broken and destroyed. At Chickamauga his holding action after the rout of the main Union forces prevented the destruction of the Union Army and a complete reversal of fortune in the Western theatre, and gave Thomas his nickname "The Rock of Chickamauga". Later he commanded the trops that took a thought-to-be impossible position on Missonary Ridge driving the Confederates off in rout. He led the Army of the Cumberland with Sherman to Atlanta and was entrusted by Sherman to organize the forces in his rear while Sherman made his famous march to the Sea. At the battle of Nashville, he defeated the last large Confederate force in the West (Hood's Army), virtually destroying them as a fighting force.

Despite all that, you will be hard-pressed to find a biography about him--partly because Southern writers would not write about a "traitor" to the Lost Cause and Northern writers had the triumvate of Grant, Sherman and Sheridan to write about. That he and Grant were not close and that he died in 1870 without publishing his memoirs (as Sherman and Grant did) has led to him being, IMHO, the 'forgotten hero" of the Civil War.

Someday after I retire, and if I have the enery, time, and skill, I'd like to do the bio on this extraordinary soldier. Time will tell.

I went to IOAC with a descendant (great,great, great grandfather I think) of his. A very good field commander, indeed.

rhodtpr

11-22-2008, 01:42 AM

Such a difficult thread to pick - but I have a couple that I think fill the bill:

1. Front row, seated 7th from the left Maj. G. Peter Walls who went on to command the Rhodesian/Zimbabwean Army during that countries difficult transition from international pariah to Independence in 1980;

Both men demonstrated exceptional qualities both as soldiers and leaders during their (and other) countries time of need.

(Photo courtesy of "SAS Rhodesia" by Pittaway&Fourie, published by Dandy Agencies.)

rhodtpr

11-22-2008, 01:56 AM

Another that I think makes the cut:

1. Major Graham Wilson who became the most highly decorated soldier in the Rhodesian/Zimbabwean Army (earning the GCOV, SCR & BCR) while serving in and finally commanding the Rhodesian SAS during the bush war and after Independance;

2.&3. Major Wilson's citations for the Grand Cross and Silver Cross - he also won the Bronze Cross of Valour.

As a footnote, all medals awarded prior to Independence in Zimbabwe in 1980 must be worn in rank AFTER the lowest order of Zimbabwean medal rank awarded after Independance!!!

(Photos courtesy of "SAS Rhodesia" by Pittaway&Fourie, published by Dandy Agencies.)

SpeedyHedgehog

11-22-2008, 01:59 AM

It must be horrible for anyone who served in the Rhodesian Army to see what's become of that country.

rhodtpr

11-22-2008, 02:10 AM

If I don't mention this one there will be hell to pay - truly deserving though!

1. Standing left - Lt. Chris Schulenburg who became the first Rhodesian soldier to be awarded the GCOV while serving in the Selous Scouts. He had previously won the SCR while serving in the Rhodesian SAS - to his left stands Koos Loots who went on to become one of the most highly decorated soldiers serving in the South African Defence Force.

2. Lt. Schulenburg's medal parade at Inkomo Barracks. This thread is far too short to outline his achievements - safe to say that the Rhodesians did not hand out medals lightly (only 2 GCOV were awarded from 1965-1980) and Chris's solo long range reccon's deep in enemy territory are the stuff legends are made of.

Kurt Knispel (20 September (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_20) 1921 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921) – 28 April (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_28) 1945 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945)) was a Sudeten German (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudeten_German) Heer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heer) panzer loader, gunner and later commander, and was the highest scoring tank ace of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) with a total of 168 confirmed tank kills [1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knispel#cite_note-Pg_125-0) with the actual number of tanks destroyed, although unconfirmed, being as high as 195[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knispel#cite_note-Pg_125-0). He is counted with Johannes Bölter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_B%C3%B6lter), Ernst Barkmann (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Barkmann), Otto Carius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Carius) and Michael Wittmann (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wittmann) as being one of, if not the, greatest tank commander of all time.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knispel#cite_note-1)

Knispel was born in Salisfeld (Salisov) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zlat%C3%A9_Hory), Czechoslovakia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakia). After completing his apprenticeship in an automobile factory in 1940, Knispel applied to join the armoured branch of the German army.

For his basic training Knispel went to the Panzer Replacement Training Battalion at Sagan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zagan) in Lower Silesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Silesia). There he received basic infantry training before tank training on the Panzer I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_I), Panzer II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_II) & Panzer IV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_IV). On 1 October (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_1) 1940 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940) he was transferred to the 3rd Company of the 29th Panzer Regiment, 12th Panzer Div. Knispel completed his training as a loader and gunner in a Panzer IV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_IV). Training lasted until 11 June (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_11) 1941 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941) and consisted of courses at Sagan and Putlos.

Knispel was a gunner in a Panzer IV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_IV) under Lt. Hellman at the time of Operation Barbarossa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa), where he participated in the initial assault as part of Panzergruppe 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Panzer_Group_(Germany)), LVII Army Corps (later LVII Panzer Corps) commanded by General Adolf Kuntzen. Knispel saw action from Yarzevo to the gates of Stalingrad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalingrad), in the north around the Leningrad-Tikhvin area and also in the Caucasus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus) under Eberhard von Mackensen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eberhard_von_Mackensen). Knispel returned to Putlos at the end of January 1943 and became familiar with the new Tiger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_I) tanks, at this time, Knispel was credited with 12 kills.
From Putlos, a group of men was sent to 500th Panzer Battalion at Paderborn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paderborn). This group was led by Oberfeldwebel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberfeldwebel) Fedensack and it was to become the 1st Company of the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/503rd_heavy_tank_battalion_(Germany)) which fought at Kursk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kursk) as flank cover to 7th PzDiv (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)) (Armee Abteilung Kempf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_Division_Kempf)). Knispel saw further action during the relief attack on the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korsun-Cherkassy_Pocket), Vinnitsa, Jampol and Kamenets-Podolsk. Transferred from the east, the company re-equipped with Tiger IIs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_II) and fought around Caen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_for_Caen) and the retreat from Normandy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy). From there the unit was again transferred back to the Eastern Front (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)) and saw action around Mezotúr (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mezot%C3%BAr&action=edit&redlink=1), Törökszentmiklós (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%B6r%C3%B6kszentmikl%C3%B3s), Cegléd (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cegl%C3%A9d), Kecskemét (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kecskem%C3%A9t) and the Gran bridgehead, Gyula (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyula,_Hungary), Neutra, Bab Castle (In one action, Knispel reports 24 enemy hits on his Tiger II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_II)), Laa and finally Wostitz, where he was killed in action.
With 168 (all confirmed, possibly as high as 195) kills,[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knispel#cite_note-Pg_125-0) Knispel was by far the most successful tanker of the Second World War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World_War)[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knispel#cite_note-Pg_125-0) and is even credited with knocking out a T-34 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-34) at 3,000 m. He fought in virtually every type of German tank as loader, gunner and commander. He was awarded the Iron Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Cross), First Class after destroying his fiftieth enemy tank and the Tank Assault Badge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_Badge) in Gold after more than 100 tank battles. When Knispel had destroyed 126 enemy tanks (with another 20 unconfirmed kills) he was awarded the German Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Cross) in Gold. He became the only non-commissioned officer of the German tank arm to be named in a Wehrmacht communique (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmachtbericht). As commander of a Tiger I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_I) and then a King Tiger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_II) Knispel destroyed another 42 enemy tanks. This raised his total to 168 enemy tanks destroyed, more than any other tank ace. Though he was recommended for it four times Knispel never received the coveted Knights Cross, a standard feature of most other WWII German tank aces.
Unlike other commanders, Knispel was not consumed by the pursuit of decorations and did not suffer from a "sore throat", Heer slang for those who lusted after the Knight's Cross. When there were conflicting claims for a destroyed enemy tank, Knispel always stepped back, always willing to credit success to someone else.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knispel#cite_note-Pg_125-0)

Walker-69

11-28-2008, 11:42 AM

Simo Häyhä, most successful sniper of all time http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_Hayha

And he did it all without all the fancy gear snipers use today.

Yeah, he was a killer all right. But he was also one of the wimpiest, skinniest looking guys in the whole army.

He didn't serve in the later part of the war because he was wounded the first year. I wonder how he slept for the rest of his life... he lived to quite an old age.

Walker-69

11-28-2008, 11:49 AM

So, heres my initial candidate, German dive-bomber pilot Hans Ulrich Rudel. I must say, I nearly fell of my chair when I read about his achievements during WW2. He was clearly a nazi before, during and after the war, but, well, he's still an amazing carracter.

There's a big bunch of German fighter pilot aces from WW2. They consistently scored more kills than, say, the British. Even Rüdel won many kills in a FW-190 towards the close of the war. My question is: how did they do it? Why did the Germans have so many fighter aces?

One answer is that the German pilots got more training before the war, and they also gained experience from the Spanish civil war.

dan_pub

11-28-2008, 07:09 PM

My question is: how did they do it? Why did the Germans have so many fighter aces?

They were fighting Soviet pilots with very poor training.

SoCalEMT

11-28-2008, 10:29 PM

There's a big bunch of German fighter pilot aces from WW2. They consistently scored more kills than, say, the British. Even Rüdel won many kills in a FW-190 towards the close of the war. My question is: how did they do it? Why did the Germans have so many fighter aces?

One answer is that the German pilots got more training before the war, and they also gained experience from the Spanish civil war.

Other nations air forces rotated out pilots after a certain number of missions, a given number of kills or time in combat. They generally went back into the training cadre to pass along the hard earned knowledge they had garnered. The Luftwaffe (and Japanese Army and Navy) had their pilots fly till they were almost inevitably killed. Produced a number of "super"aces, but also condemned many skilled pilots to death, and ate the services seed corn. Those ill trained Soviet pilots killed a *****load of Germans, BTW.

Airgun_Hunter

12-02-2008, 03:23 PM

Simo Häyhä, most successful sniper of all time http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_Hayha

And he did it all without all the fancy gear snipers use today.

X2..

And Don't forget "Illu"

Interesting fact that his plane WAS NEVER hit by an enemy bullet, to me he's the world's WWII best fighter pilot.

"Illu" Juutilanen - the Top Ace.

http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/foto1/juuti1dotjpg

http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/juuti/juuti1.htm

When Illu Juutilainen was introduced to Golubev, the Soviet officer said nothing, just shook his hand longer than anybody elses. 60 years later "Illu" said in an interview that the greatest decoration a soldier can get is an acknowlegment given by his enemy.

Partial_Panel

12-09-2008, 10:52 PM

Going to ressurect this thread:

A recent event here in Central Oregon (the re-dedication of a bridge in his name), brought this Oregon native to my attention:

He flew P-38's with the 339th FS on Guadalcanal, an on April 18th, 1943, he made history (and possibly changed the course of the Pacific war), when he shot down the Type 1 ("Betty") bomber carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
The claim was in dispute, and for 50 years he shared half-credit with Capt. Tom Lanphier. In the late 90's, The American Fighter Aces Association, and the Confederate (now "Commemorative") Air Force, gave Barber sole credit for the kill.
The highest award he would recieve, was ironicaly enough, the Navy Cross, presented by Admiral Halsey himself.
He went on to serve 20yrs in the Air Force, retiring in 1961.
He died peacefuly in his hometown of Culver, Oregon in July, 2001.

Fleet Admiral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Admiral) Isoroku Yamamoto (Japanese: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language) 山本五十六, Yamamoto Isoroku? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Japanese)) (4 April 1884 – 18 April 1943) was the commander-in-chief (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-chief) of the Combined Fleet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Fleet) during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Naval_Academy) and a student of the U.S. Naval War College (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Naval_War_College) and of Harvard University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University) (1919–1921).
Yamamoto held several important posts in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and undertook many of its changes and reorganizations, especially its development of naval aviation. He was the commander-in-chief during the decisive early years of the Pacific War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War) and so was responsible for major battles such as Pearl Harbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Harbor) and Midway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midway). He died during an inspection tour of forward positions in the Solomon Islands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands) when his aircraft (a G4M Betty bomber (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_G4M)) was ambushed by American P-38 Lightning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning) fighter planes. His death was a major blow to Japanese military morale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morale) during World War II.

Very interesting read at wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto

diomed

12-10-2008, 08:27 PM

Other nations air forces rotated out pilots after a certain number of missions, a given number of kills or time in combat. They generally went back into the training cadre to pass along the hard earned knowledge they had garnered. The Luftwaffe (and Japanese Army and Navy) had their pilots fly till they were almost inevitably killed. Produced a number of "super"aces, but also condemned many skilled pilots to death, and ate the services seed corn. Those ill trained Soviet pilots killed a *****load of Germans, BTW.

Also the Germans had a much higher chance of coming across allied planes every sortie than the allies had of them

Rynnäkkökivääri

12-10-2008, 08:45 PM

Yeah, he was a killer all right. But he was also one of the wimpiest, skinniest looking guys in the whole army.
That was probably an advantage for him, easier to hide a smaller body, and he didn't have to worry about carrying a high caliber rifle so his skinniness probably wasn't a disadvantage.

He didn't serve in the later part of the war because he was wounded the first year. I wonder how he slept for the rest of his life... he lived to quite an old age.
I don't think he was in the shape to go fight the Russian waves-it took him years to recover. His cheek was blown off, and it was at the very least a risk for infection, and probably gave him other disabilites that probably made his superiors tell him to stay back. When someone who kills 500 people because he's told to I doubt he's one to slink away from a fight without a very good reason and probably orders from the ones who told him to go kill.

The Beard

12-12-2008, 07:54 PM

Richard Hook joined the Green Howards Regiment, part of the 50th Infantry Division in early 1942. He served with them in North Africa and Italy before landing in Normandy on 6th June, 1944. He fought through Northern France around Villers Bocage before moving up through Belgium and Holland to the German border where he was withdrawn to England in order to re-equip for the Far East. His regiment were half way across Biscay when Japan surrendered. During the course of his war, he was wounded (lightly) twice by shrapnel, was promoted to Corporal twice and lost the second *****e twice at the hands of newly arrived 2nd Lt.s and had it re-instated twice by his Colonel. He also refused his 3rd *****e twice in order to remain as one of the lads. Such was the rate of attrition in Normandy his company was amalgamated three times and the Regiment was changed out of all recognition, so much so that he was transferred to the Machine Gun section of the Manchester Regiment because there wasn't really anywhere else to put him. After that he joined a 6-pdr. AT company. He saw his brother George once in that time. Richie was in the back of a truck crossing the Rhine going up to the front, his brother George in one going in the opposite direction. The reason I chose him as a great soldier is because like millions of others on all sides, he only wanted to get home in one piece and see his family again. He was one of those who never got mentioned in history books and he didn't even collect his medals. When he got home he simply got a job working on the roads and then in a factory, had 2 daughters and 2 grandsons. Then he got on with the rest of his life. He died about 10 years ago. I married one of his daughters. He was just an ordinary bloke who went where he was told, looked after the youngsters in his platoon and then went home again. R.I.P. Richie Hook, ex-soldier.

smithfinn

03-22-2009, 06:07 PM

Was reading thru Stephen Ambrose's "Band of Brothers" and I found this excerpt from the final chapter, "Postwar Careers", to be very interesting. This is from the author writng about a letter from former Easy Co. man Robert Smith, to former Easy Co. Commander, **** Winters. Read on..............

"Sgt. Robert 'Burr' Smith also stayed in the paratroopers, where he got a commission and eventually became a lieutenant colonel. He commanded a Special Forces Reserve unit in San Francisco. In December 1979, he wrote to Winters: 'Eventually my reserve assignment led me to a new career with a governement agency, which in turn led to eight years in Laos as a civilian advisor to a large irregular force. I continued to jump regularly until 1974, when lack of interest drove me to hangliding, and that has been my consuming passion ever since...For the present I am assigned as a special assistant to the Commander of Delta Force, the counter-terror force at Fort Bragg. My specialties are (surprise! surprise!): airborne operations, light weapons, and small unti operations.
"Funny thing about 'The Modern Army', ****. I am assigned to what is reputed to be the best unit in the U.S Army, the Delta Force, and I believe that it is. Still, on a man-for-man basis, I'd choose my wartime paratroop company (E Co. 506 Inf./101st Airborne) ANY TIME! We had something for three years that will never be equalled."
I was restless the other night and googled my dad, Robert Burr Smith, and came up with a link to this post. I joined the forum just so I could reply. My dad was indeed one of our greatast soldiers, having spent his life in one way or another as a soldier of sorts. People who knew him well said he dedicated his life to what he believed was making the world a safer place for his children and others. If you would like to know more about him, I can answer questions or point you in the direction of many books and web sites that mention him besides Band of Brothers. I was interviewed recently for a book on some of the living but more obscure members of Easy Co. of Ambrose's book. That book is coming out in May and my chapter thoroughly covers my dad's life as a soldier. First with the 101st in WWII, then in the Army Reserves for the rest of his life, in addit6ion to almost 20 years as a contract employee with the CIA, with his most favorite assignment as a case officer in Laos for almost 8 years. His last job with the CIA was as their liaison officer to the newly formed Delta Force. My father is my hero and I miss him very much.

[WDW]Megaraptor

03-23-2009, 01:18 AM

X2..

And Don't forget "Illu"

Interesting fact that his plane WAS NEVER hit by an enemy bullet, to me he's the world's WWII best fighter pilot.

The war's best fighter pilot was Marmaduke Pattle from South Africa. He was engaged in 9 months of continuous combat in the Mediterranean, North Africa and Greece from August 1940 to April 1941. For the first 8 of those months he was flying a Gloster Gladiator. Finally receiving Hurricanes in early April, Pattle was killed in combat over Athens on April 19th. In those 9 months, he shot down somewhere between 41 and 62 planes, making him the highest scoring ace of the war amongst the western Allies.

JackTheRipper

03-24-2009, 12:31 PM

Amedeo Guillet, Italian Cavalry officer in World War II

In the build up to World War II, Duke of Aosta gave Guillet command of the 2,500 strong Gruppo Bande Amhara, made up of recruits from throughout Italian East Africa, with six European officers and Eritrean NCOs. The core was cavalry, but the force also included camel corps and mainly Yemeni infantry. For Guillet to be given command of such a force while still only a lieutenant was a singular honour.
At the end of 1940, the allied forces faced Guillet on the road to Amba Alagi, and specifically, in the proximity of Cherù. He was charged with the task of delaying the allied advance from the North-West.
Guillet's most important battle happened towards the end of January 1941 at Cherù when he decided to attack enemy armored units. At dawn he charged a column of tanks armed only with swords, guns and hand grenades. He passed unhurt through the British forces who were caught unaware. Guillet then turned to charge again. In the meantime however, the British had organised themselves and fired horizontally with their howitzers. Their shells ripped open the chests of Guillet's horses before exploding. This was the last cavalry charge the British faced and the last but one in the history of Italian cavalry. The final charge took place little more than a year later when a friend of Guillet, Colonel Bettoni, launched the men of the "Savoia Cavalry" against Soviet troops in Russia at Isbuchenskij.
Guillet's Yemeni troops paid a high price in terms of human losses, approximately 800 died in little more than two years and, in March 1941, his forces found themselves stranded outside the Italian lines. Guillet, faithful until death to the oath to the House of Savoy, began a private war against the British. Hiding his uniform near an Italian farm, he set the region on fire at night for almost eight months. He was one of the most famous Italian "guerrilla officers" in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia during the Italia guerrilla war against the Allies occupation of the Italian East Africa.
After numerous adventures, including working as a water seller, Guillet was finally able to reach Yemen, where for about one year he trained soldiers and cavalrymen for the Imam's army, whose son Ahmed became a close friend. Despite the opposition of the Yemenite royal house, he succeeded in embarking incognito on a Red Cross ship repatriating sick and injured Italians and finally returned to Italy a few days before the armistice.
As soon as Guillet reached Italy he asked for Gold sovereigns, men and weapons to aid his disbanded Eritrean forces. The aid would be delivered by aeroplane and enable a guerrilla campaign to be staged. But with Italy's surrender, then later joining the Allies, times had changed. Guilet was promoted to Major for his war accomplishments and was assigned to the Military Intelligence Agency (SIM). In this role, perhaps ironically, he was chosen by the British for some very dangerous missions on Italian territory that was still under Nazi Occupation. He worked closely with an official of the services, a cadet of Colonel Harari, Victor Dan Sagre, who later became his close friend and biographer. Colonel Harari was the commander of the British special unit services that tried to capture Guillet in Italian East Africa.
At the end of the war, and with the abolition of the monarchy, Guillet expressed a deep desire to leave Italy. He informed Umberto II of his intentions, but the King obliged him to keep serving his country in whatever form of government it would become. As always, he couldn't disobey an order from his King, so he expressed his desire to teach antrophology at university.
On 4 November 2000 the day of the Festivity of the Armed Forces (4 november is theVictory Day of WWI for Italy), Guillet was presented with the Knight Grand Cross of the Miltary order of Italy by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. This is the highest military decoration in Italy. Today, Guillet is one of the most highly decorated (both civil and military) people in Italian history.
Now Guillet lives in retirement in County Meath, Irleand, since 1974.

acuhater

04-08-2009, 05:58 PM

This dude may be a policeman but could quite easily pass for a soldier going by the nature of his job in the urban environment of a typical South African day. It's considered a normal day to be shot at, draw your firearm several times in a shift and to shoot at suspects to preserve your own survival. I personally consider a South African cop a true soldier in the never ending fight against spiralling crime in the Republic.
http://saps.reserve.org.za/e107_plugins/coppermine_menu/albums/userpics/10209/GR1dotjpg (http://javascript<b></b>: window.close())
Not to bring up a clearly ancient thread, but I hit this picture on goolge images, saw the caption and had to ask whether this is a normal south african cop, or their version of SWAT. He seems to be packing some serious heat. I find it hard to believe that the average cop caries a SIG 552, and wears that much kevlar.

rhodtpr

04-08-2009, 06:45 PM

Not to bring up a clearly ancient thread, but I hit this picture on goolge images, saw the caption and had to ask whether this is a normal south african cop, or their version of SWAT. He seems to be packing some serious heat. I find it hard to believe that the average cop caries a SIG 552, and wears that much kevlar.

You haven't been to Africa much have you? As they say, "things are different in Africa" and this is just one example.

You should see their armoured car private security guards!:|

acuhater

04-08-2009, 08:02 PM

You haven't been to Africa much have you? As they say, "things are different in Africa" and this is just one example.

You should see their armoured car private security guards!:|

I just thought it was kind of funny, because at the place were I go to school, there was a shooting threat and they had SWAT clearing all the rooms and this guy looks just like them, except switch the Sig 552 for an M-4A1 and throw a K-Pot on his head. So those are your normal cops, huh?

Domen

05-13-2009, 07:04 PM

If it comes to ordinary soldiers (not commanders):

Zawisza the Black from Garbów (*1370 - +1428) - the most famous Polish Medieval knight:

Zawisza the Black never lost a single duel and he was dueling all around Europe. He also participated in the famous battle of Grunwald on 15.07.1410 - serving in the most elite of Polish units of course.

But in the picture above someone confused his coat of arms. His real coat of arms was so called Sulima:

Another great Polish soldier - the best tank ace of the Polish Campaign of 1939 (considering aces of all sides) - Roman Orlik and his driver Bronislaw Zakrzewski - they knocked out 13 enemy tanks during the campaign (3 on 14 IX, 3 on 18 IX and 7 on 19 IX) - almost all if not all of these tanks were better and heavier than Orlik's TKS 20mm tankette:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=213689

Roman Orlik and his driver:

http://www.historycy.org/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=3094dotjpg

Orlik's vehicle in September of 1939 - TKS with calibre 20mm automatic gun - Polish army had got very few of such vehicles (they were better than Panzer I tanks and their guns were almost as good as 20mm guns of Panzer II tanks):

Among Orlik's kills was the Panzer IV of Prinz Victor IV Albrecht von Ratibor eliminated near Pociecha (Kampinoska Forest west of Warsaw) on 18.09.1939 - Prinz von Ratibor was KIA:

Panzer IV of Prinz von Ratibor from II platoon of 2. Kompanie of I./Panzer-Regiment 11. (1. leichte Panzer-Division) burnt out after taking several hits from Orlik's calibre 20mm automatic gun from a very short distance:

http://img.odkrywca.pl/forum_pics/picsforum23/wrak_1_copy1dotjpg

And this Polish soldier published his own photos showing the real face of war in the Internet - he is serving in Afghanistan:

At the beginning of his video he put this quotation:

"War is the worst of plagues of humanity; it destroys states, it destroys families, it destroyes religions, other plagues are lighter" - Martin Luter

Dmitry Serkov
The Hero of Russia
Сaptain; Commander of assault group; Spetsnaz; Special unit "Vityaz"; 1th Order of Lenin, Order of October Revolution, Order of Red Banner Separate Motor-Rifle Division in the name of Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky; Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Was born in Ryazan, Russia on September, 26th 1981. On military service since August, 1st 1999. KIA in Republic Dagestan, Russian Federation on August 2nd 2007. He has complete 98 combat missions against terrorist gangs. He was the Commander of unit in 63 missions and 38 combat missions in fire support.

Rest in Peace...

[WDW]Megaraptor

05-15-2009, 08:07 PM

I just heard a story today about a Catawba Indian warrior in the 18th century.

The warrior was captured by the Shawnee in Virginia while on a hunting expedition. Before being captured, he killed 5 Shawnee. The Shawnee *****ped him, put a rope around his neck, and prepared to march him back to their town in New York at a running pace. They intended to have the wives of the Shawnee braves that he killed torture him to death. When he arrived outside the town, the Catawba brave pretended to drop from exhaustion. The Shawnee untied his rope and picked him up to carry him into the town. When they lifted him up, he jumped down and ran off. The Shawnee followed him, and he jumped into a river. The Shawnee were firing at him so he swam halfway through the river underwater, then came up for air and swam to the other side. The Shawnee were still shooting at him, so he mooned them before heading off into the woods.

A search party followed, but when the Shawnee made camp for the night they did not post sentries. They didn't think one ***** man alone in the woods far from home was much of a threat. Instead of running farther away, the Catawba warrior snuck into their camp, took a knife from a sleeping Shawnee brave and slit the throats of all the sleeping Shawnee. He then traveled back to Virginia, dug up the graves of the five Shawnee which he had previously killed at the time of his capture, and scalped them before returning to his hometown in South Carolina.

rhodtpr

05-16-2009, 04:21 AM

Megaraptor;4130795']I just heard a story today about a Catawba Indian warrior in the 18th century.

The warrior was captured by the Shawnee in Virginia while on a hunting expedition. Before being captured, he killed 5 Shawnee. The Shawnee *****ped him, put a rope around his neck, and prepared to march him back to their town in New York at a running pace. They intended to have the wives of the Shawnee braves that he killed torture him to death. When he arrived outside the town, the Catawba brave pretended to drop from exhaustion. The Shawnee untied his rope and picked him up to carry him into the town. When they lifted him up, he jumped down and ran off. The Shawnee followed him, and he jumped into a river. The Shawnee were firing at him so he swam halfway through the river underwater, then came up for air and swam to the other side. The Shawnee were still shooting at him, so he mooned them before heading off into the woods.

A search party followed, but when the Shawnee made camp for the night they did not post sentries. They didn't think one ***** man alone in the woods far from home was much of a threat. Instead of running farther away, the Catawba warrior snuck into their camp, took a knife from a sleeping Shawnee brave and slit the throats of all the sleeping Shawnee. He then traveled back to Virginia, dug up the graves of the five Shawnee which he had previously killed at the time of his capture, and scalped them before returning to his hometown in South Carolina.

In Louis L'Amour's trilogy, "The Sacketts", the Catawba were the Indian tribe that all the other Indian tribes sent their best warriors out to be tested against...L'Amour was renouned for his historical accuracy...I wonder if there is any truth to the legend?:|

[WDW]Megaraptor

05-16-2009, 08:58 AM

In Louis L'Amour's trilogy, "The Sacketts", the Catawba were the Indian tribe that all the other Indian tribes sent their best warriors out to be tested against...L'Amour was renouned for his historical accuracy...I wonder if there is any truth to the legend?:|

It's true. The Catawba were renowned warriors. Although their numbers were small, they were constantly fighting and getting the best of much larger nations such as the Shawnee, Cherokee and Iroquois. The Catawba made their livelihood by hiring themselves to the colonial authorities of South Carolina as mercenaries (similar to the relationship between the Gurkhas and the British in Nepal). Smallpox outbreaks reduced their numbers, and this is what led to the loss of their power.

The remaining Catawbas fought on the British side during the French and Indian war and on the rebel side during the American Revolution, partly because they were on the side of the South Carolina government and partly because the Iroquois were on the side of the British. In return, the British Army burned their towns as a collective punishment. A few Catawba descendants still live in South Carolina today.

avs

05-20-2009, 05:09 PM

Nikitas "the Turkeater" Stamatelopoulos

Hero of Greek Revolution

Dimitrios Itsios

Hero of Battle of Bunkers in Greek-Bulgarian boarders against Germans.

Magnus72

05-22-2009, 09:11 PM

Favourite soldiers, well Great Northern War Swedes of course, beat the **** out of Russians, Danes, Pole-Saxons many many times during early 18th century. Amazing soldiers with high discipline and morale, best army Europe during that time even the british feared them. That´s my favourite soldiers.

Very true. Those guys have my highest respect. For some of them who voluntered to be flewn in to reinforce their buddies it was the first time to jump out of an airplane.

drevil5000

05-24-2009, 08:34 PM

Not to bring up a clearly ancient thread, but I hit this picture on goolge images, saw the caption and had to ask whether this is a normal south african cop, or their version of SWAT. He seems to be packing some serious heat. I find it hard to believe that the average cop caries a SIG 552, and wears that much kevlar.

The automatic weapon is not normally carried around by all cops, but bullet proof vests are as well as a side arm.

Tabak

05-26-2009, 10:16 PM

Staff Sergeant Herminigildo J Yurong 709321 Philippine Navy (Marines)
For acts of conspicuous, gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Platoon Sergeant, Special Operation Capable Unit, Marine Battalion Landing Team-2, Philippine Marine Corps, Philippine Navy during the conduct of combat operation against more or less 200 MILF rebels at Langkong, Matanog, Maguindanao in consonance with the execution of MBLT-2 OPORD 05-2k (Warrior Shield) on 29 May 2000. Fully aware that the enemy overwhelming firepower and numerical superiority will eventually overwhelm his pinned down platoon, Staff Sergeant Yurong, with utter disregard for his life made a decisive move towards the enemy and single-handedly delivered volume of fire upon the enemy's advanced position to clear the way for his beleaguered platoon. The daring move of Staff Sergeant Yurong bolstered the morale of his platoon, which subsequently, emboldened them to rally behind him against the well-entrenched rebels. Under the hail of heavy enemy fire and relentless RPG attacks, he audaciously moved from one hasty cover to another across the line of fire, crawling, leapfrogging, delivering potent accurate counter-fire, and throwing grenades towards every enemy position. Alone in the advance position, he repulsed the enemy counterattack almost single-handedly. It was unfortunate, however, that in the last instance, an RPG round found its mark near his position. The blast wounded him fatally which caused his instantaneous death. His death was not in vain, as his men witnessed what happened to him, the more that they fiercely and relentlessly fought the MILF rebels and sustained the momentum established by Staff Sergeant Yurong. His singular act, aggressive and vicious attacks against the enemy positions destabilized the MILF fighters who later on withdrew, leaving behind 11 enemies killed while undetermined number of wounded enemies were dragged along by their comrades. After scouring the area, 4 M16 rifles, 1 RPG launcher with 5 rounds of ammo, 1 90MM RR with 2 rounds of Ammo, 1 M16 magazine, assorted clothing and food supplies were recovered. By these gallant deed, Staff Sergeant Yurong distinguished himself in combat in the finest traditions of Filipino soldiery